To the brain, reading computer code is not the same as reading language

To the brain, reading computer code is not the same as reading language: Neuroscientists find that interpreting code activates a general-purpose brain network, but not language-processing centers.

Neuroscientists have found reading computer code does not rely on the regions of the brain involved in language processing. Instead, it activates the ‘multiple demand network,’ which is also recruited for complex cognitive tasks such as solving math problems or crossword puzzles.

In some ways, learning to program a computer is similar to learning a new language. It requires learning new symbols and terms, which must be organized correctly to instruct the computer what to do. The computer code must also be clear enough that other programmers can read and understand it…

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