Phonological processing skills are known as the most robust cognitive predictor of reading ability. Therefore, the neural determinants of phonological processing have been extensively investigated by means of either neurofunctional or neurostructural techniques. However, to fully understand how the brain represents and processes phonological information, there is need for studies that combine both methods. The present study applies such a multimodal approach with the aim of investigating the pre-reading relation between neural measures of auditory temporal processing, white matter properties of the reading network and phonological processing skills. We administered auditory steady-state responses, diffusion-weighted MRI scans and phonological awareness tasks in 59 pre-readers. Our results demonstrate that a stronger rightward lateralization of syllable-rate (4 Hz) processing coheres with higher fractional anisotropy in the left fronto-temporoparietal arcuate fasciculus. Both neural features each in turn relate to better phonological processing skills. As such, the current study provides novel evidence for the existence of a pre-reading relation between functional measures of syllable-rate processing, structural organization of the arcuate fasciculus and cognitive precursors of reading development. Moreover, our findings demonstrate the value of combining different neural techniques to gain insight in the underlying neural systems for reading (dis)ability.

语音处理技能被称为最强大的阅读能力认知预测指标。因此，已经通过神经功能或神经结构技术广泛研究了语音处理的神经决定因素。但是，为了完全理解大脑如何表示和处理语音信息，需要结合两种方法的研究。本研究采用了这种多峰方法，旨在研究听觉颞叶处理的神经测量，阅读网络的白质特性和语音处理技能之间的预阅读关系。我们对59位预读者进行了听觉稳态反应，弥散加权MRI扫描和语音意识任务。我们的结果表明，音节速率（4 Hz）处理过程的向右偏侧化程度更高，而在左额颞颞弓状筋膜中则伴有更高的分数各向异性。这两个神经特征各自都与更好的语音处理技能有关。这样，当前的研究为音节速率处理的功能性度量，弓形束的结构组织和阅读发展的认知前体之间存在预读关系提供了新的证据。此外，我们的发现证明了结合不同的神经技术以获取潜在的神经系统对阅读能力的价值。这两个神经特征各自都与更好的语音处理技能有关。这样，当前的研究为音节速率处理的功能性度量，弓形束的结构组织和阅读发展的认知前体之间存在预读关系提供了新的证据。此外，我们的发现证明了结合不同的神经技术以获取潜在的神经系统对阅读能力的价值。这两个神经特征各自都与更好的语音处理技能有关。这样，当前的研究为音节速率处理的功能性度量，弓形束的结构组织和阅读发展的认知前体之间存在预读关系提供了新的证据。此外，我们的发现证明了结合不同的神经技术以获取潜在的神经系统对阅读能力的价值。