A scoping review of functional near-infrared spectroscopy studies of reading development in children aged 6–12

SIGNIFICANCE: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers several advantages for neuroimaging in children, yet its use in research on cognitive development, particularly reading, remains limited. AIM: This scoping review focuses on fNIRS studies examining reading development in school-aged children (6-12 years), with four goals: (1) characterize methodological parameters, including stimuli and tasks; (2) identify brain regions showing fNIRS signal changes during reading and across development; (3) document technical fNIRS methods; (4) assess adherence to best practice in fNIRS reporting. APPROACH: We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, gray literature, and reference lists. RESULTS: Reading-related fNIRS activation was most frequently observed in the inferior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus. However, only seven studies directly examined developmental changes in reading using fNIRS. A consistent issue across studies was underreporting of technical methods and incomplete adherence to recommended best practices for fNIRS data collection and analysis. CONCLUSIONS: To advance the field, future fNIRS research on reading development should (1) follow established reporting guidelines, (2) ensure adequate brain region coverage when designing probe arrays, and (3) prioritize longitudinal and developmental investigations to better capture changes in brain function during reading development.