Inter-modality source coupling: a fully automated whole-brain data-driven structure-function fingerprint shows replicable links to reading in large-scale (N~8K) analysis

We propose a method called inter-modality source coupling (IMSC) to study the coupling between the function and structure of the brain and its relationship to reading ability in school-age children. We performed an analysis focused on the relationship of IMSC to overall reading score. Our findings indicate that key brain regions are linked to differences in function-structure coupling in the context of reading ability and language processing. Higher reading ability was linked with increased function-structure coupling among higher-level cortical regions and lower reading ability was associated with enhanced function-structure coupling among occipital networks and early language processes areas.