Development of the neurological reading network in children at family ris for dyslexia.

Reading acquisition starts with the awareness that phonemes correspond to graphemes. To achieve stable phoneme-grapheme correspondences, the auditory system must accurately process speech. In developmental dyslexia (a specific learning disability characterized by severe and persistent reading and/or spelling problems), auditory processing and speech perception skills seem already impaired at pre-reading level, identifying these skills as possible behavioural markers for dyslexia. However, little is known about the neural development of the auditory and the reading system in relation to dyslexia. During reading acquisition, the brain adapts to written language by reorganizing and connecting the existing spoken language system into a reading network. It is therefore crucial to examine the neural architecture of important auditory and reading-related areas in pre-reading children, and to investigate how they develop into a more mature reading network. This project aims at enlightening this developmental trajectory by applying three objective neurological techniques (Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Auditory Steady-State Responses) and relating them to psychophysical and cognitive measures in a longitudinal design, starting before formal reading instruction. Besides theoretical relevance, this project strives to contribute to the discovery of specific neurophysiologic markers for dyslexia, important for the early detection of this specific learning disability.

Keywords:Resting-State Functional Connectivity, Neural development, Family Risk, Auditory Steady-State Responses, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Speech perception, Auditory processing, Dyslexia

Disciplines:Orthopedagogics and special education