The brain is not only able to finish the sentences of others. A study by the Basque research centre BCBL has shown for the first time that it can also anticipate an auditory stimulus and determine the phonemes and specific words the speaker is going to pronounce.

Dyslexic children learning both a language that is pronounced as written -like Spanish- and a second language in which the same letter can have several sounds -such as English- are less affected by this alteration when reading or writing in the latter language. The authors of the Basque research centre BCBL warn that this is less a cure than a reduction of some of the symptoms.

The Basque research centre BCBL has shown how we can anticipate a word before it is pronounced and thus complete a sentence without the need for the interlocutor to finish it. The experiment has proven that the ability to predict a term is related to the brain's ability to mentally construct sentences as they read or listen to them.

During the hours of sleep the memory performs a cleaning shift. A study led by a Spanish scientist at the University of Cambridge reveals that when we sleep, the neural connections that collect important information are strengthened and those created from irrelevant data are weakened until they get lost.

Almost 10% of the world population suffers dyslexia. Establishing an early diagnosis would allow the development of training programs to palliate this disorder. We now may be nearer to reaching this goal thanks to a study carried out by the Basque Centre on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), associating auditory processing in children to their reading skills. The results offer a new approach for detecting the risk before the children learn to read.

The rhythms of brainwaves between two people taking part in a conversation begin to match each other. This is the conclusion of a study published in the magazine ‘Scientific Reports’, led by the Basque research centre BCBL. According to scientists, this interbrain synchrony may be a key factor in understanding language and interpersonal communication.

Salt is a hidden enemy in children’s diets. So says the conclusion of a study by researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid, which suggests that over 80 % of Spanish schoolchildren consume excess salt; this is associated to greater risk of high blood pressure, osteoporosis and obesity. According to the authors, we first need to know the sources of dietary salt intake before we can reduce it.

The languages we speak influence several factors that we rely on for our ability to read, such as visual attention and phonological processes. So concludes a new study carried out at the BCBL research centre in the Basque country. The findings could have implications in teaching and in the diagnosis of dyslexia and other reading problems.

In recent years there has been increasing medical interest in correcting teeth that do not touch perfectly in order to prevent problems such as jaw pain, gaps between teeth and crowding. Now, a new study carried out by Spanish researchers has concluded that dental occlusion is also related to the control of posture and balance.