Sahakian, B.J., Perrin, V., & Langley, C. (2026). Reading and associations with brain health, cognition, well-being, and mental health, Psychological Medicine, Vol 56.
Growing recognition of the importance of prevention in mental health has led to increased interest in modifiable lifestyle factors that support brain health, cognition, and well-being. In childhood and adolescence, early reading for pleasure has been linked to better attention, memory, executive function, academic achievement, and fewer mental health problems. Neuroimaging findings suggest that reading is associated with structural and functional differences in brain regions supporting executive control, emotional regulation, and social cognition. Importantly, these benefits appear independent of socioeconomic background. Book club studies may suggest additional social benefits of reading in groups. Together, the evidence supports reading for pleasure and engaging in book clubs as scalable interventions, which may promote cognitive reserve, resilience, and lifelong mental well-being.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291726105625
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