Mirror Reading: A Comprehensive Overview
Reading in reverse, or “mirror reading,” is a phenomenon in which a person reads text from right to left instead of from left to right. This phenomenon has been widely studied in recent decades, and has been found to be linked to various neurological and cognitive disorders. This article provides an overview of mirror reading, its historical context, and its implications for clinical practice.
Definition
Mirror reading, also known as “backward reading,” is defined as the reading of text from right to left instead of the usual left to right. Mirror reading is most commonly observed in cases of alexia, a language disorder characterized by difficulty reading and writing, as well as in other neurological and cognitive disorders. Mirror reading can involve both visual and verbal reading, as well as both visual and verbal writing.
History
Mirror reading has been documented since the 19th century, when it was first described in the medical literature by a French physician, Félix-Joseph Breschet. Breschet described the phenomenon in a case study of a patient with alexia, noting that the patient was able to read text in reverse. Subsequent studies in the 20th and 21st centuries have further demonstrated the link between mirror reading and alexia.
Implications for Clinical Practice
Mirror reading has been shown to be linked to a range of neurological and cognitive disorders, including alexia, dementia, and autism spectrum disorder. As such, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of mirror reading in patients who present with these disorders. Additionally, mirror reading may be a useful indicator of neurological and/or cognitive impairment and should be considered when making a diagnosis.
Conclusion
Mirror reading is a phenomenon in which a person reads text from right to left instead of the usual left to right. Mirror reading has been linked to a range of neurological and cognitive disorders, and is an important symptom to consider when making a diagnosis.
References
Breschet, F. J. (1847). Monographie sur l’alexie. Annales Médico-Psychologiques, 5, 433–450.
Davies, P., & Humphreys, G. W. (1990). Reading in the mirror: A case of paroxysmal alexia. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 7(1), 1–14.
Hodges, J. R., & Patterson, K. (2001). Semantic dementia: One window on the structure and organization of semantic memory. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 5(11), 417–423.
Mandel, D. J., & Paul, R. (2006). Mirror writing and reading in children on the autism spectrum. Autism, 10(3), 207–219.
Turk, J., & Brown, A. (2003). Mirror reading and writing and the perception of disconnected speech: Evidence for aphasic and non-aphasic deficits. Brain and Language, 84(2), 135–148.