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

In my introductory front-end development classes, I often ask students to describe their experience reading HTML. I present them with straightforward markup for a lengthy article and request they read it twice: once as code, then rendered on the screen.

The most frequent response? It feels like learning a new language.

And, of course, it is – it's right there in the name: Hypertext Markup Language. My usual advice is to approach the course material as if they were studying French, Spanish, or another foreign language.

However, a recent MIT study challenges this notion, revealing that reading code doesn't activate the brain regions associated with language processing. Instead, it engages the multiple demand network (MDN), a distributed network also used for complex cognitive tasks like solving math problems or crossword puzzles.

While this might seem obvious, the study reveals a fascinating detail: code reading activates additional MDN areas, making it more akin to mathematical reasoning than simple language comprehension. The study even contradicts the hypothesis that math and coding utilize identical brain mechanisms.

This brings me back to my HTML reading exercise. Should we teach code as a language – a system of symbols communicating instructions to the browser – or as a problem-solving skill rooted in mathematical logic?

The answer remains unclear.

The study's most compelling aspect, to me, isn't pedagogical, but rather how it sheds light on my personal coding process. Chris often remarks that front-end development demands constant awareness, and this study supports that. The MDN's role in multitasking and information retention explains why interruptions are so disruptive. It's like juggling many plates – a distraction forces me to drop them, then painstakingly reassemble everything before resuming.

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