View clinical trials related to Dyslexia, Developmental.
Filter by:The purpose of the proposed study is to use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to evaluate a neurobiological model of spoken word learning in older youth. Specifically, it is hypothesized that: (1) inhibition of the left dorsal stream will impact subsequent learning, processing, and retention of phonologically similar pseudowords; (2) the impact of dorsal stream inhibition on word learning will be associated with baseline levels of variability in neural activity, indicative of underlying differences in cortical excitability.
Investigators compare effects of 6-month music versus circus group interventions on language development in infants and toddlers with or without familial risk for dyslexia (anticipated total N=200). Effects of intervention timing, dyslexia risk and genetics, and social-emotional factors on the intervention outcomes are investigated.
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is the most common learning disorder. Multiple cognitive and sensory domains contribute to the etiology of DD and develop before reading acquisition. Atypical brain functional responses and structural features have been found in the reading developing circuitry. Treatments addressing visual-spatial attention and motion perception (Visual Attention Training; VAT) are among the most effective interventions in Italian children with DD. The VAT seems to improve the efficiency of the visual attention system and the magnocellular (M) pathway which is crucial for learning to read. Evidence for impaired M function in subjects with DD in the visual striate and extra-striate cortex have been reported. How these treatments affect the brain functionality is still not clear. Since DD has a neurobiological basis, it is important to deeply investigate atypical functional responses and structural features in reading-related areas, and to understand how treatments operate at the neuronal level. A growing number of studies investigates structural and functional measures in neurodevelopmental disorders by using high-resolution MRI at high field (3T and 7T). Similarly, several studies examine the effects of different types of reading training upon brain activity. Better understanding of the relationship between structural/functional abnormalities and DD could disentangle the causes of reading difficulties and helps in developing effective treatments. The significance of this study is twofold: 1) NEURAL CORRELATES OF TREATMENT: The investigators expect TACHIDINO to specifically affect the underlying neurophysiological functioning which influences reading skills in children with DD; 2) BRAIN SIGNATURES: As integrated multi-domain data (behavioral and brain imaging) are complementary to each other, they could enhance the possibility to find unique treatment/brain functioning combinations to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention and to predict the treatment response.
Poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) represent a component of lipids that covers a relevant role in human diet and biological functions such as provision of energy, functionality of cell membranes and tissue metabolism. Fatty acids carbon chains can be saturated (with no presence of double bonds) or unsaturated (with one or more double bonds). PUFAs fall into the unsaturated group, and they can be divided into two classes: omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids (FAs). PUFAs are relevant components of cellular membranes, phospholipids, and precursors of eicosanoids, which influence neuronal development and functioning, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in fact are involved in cell growth, neural signaling, and gene expression. The main natural dietary source for Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA is fish oil. It has also been shown how the Magnocellular system, which includes the retinal ganglion cells, the lateral geniculate nucleus (for the visual system, while the medial geniculate nucleus would be involved for the auditory system) of the thalamus, the posterior parietal cortex, various areas visual of the cortex and part of the cerebellum, is sensitive to the contribution of fatty acids through nutrition. A deficit related to the Magnocellular system, specialized in the processing of stimuli with high temporal frequencies and low spatial frequencies, in both the visual and auditory modalities, has been proposed as one of the causes of Developmental Dyslexia (DD). According to this hypothesis, an alteration at the magnocellular level would affect reading by hampering temporal processing of the visual signal and would reduce the quality of the phonological representations due to imperfect acoustic analysis of the incoming phonemes. It is therefore possible to hypothesize that supplementation of PUFA in dyslexic children would improve the functions of the M-system and thus create better conditions to the remediation of reading difficulties, especially through remediation programs specifically tapping visual attention and rapid processing of visual stimuli. The remediation program currently used at Scientific Institute (IRCCS) Medea, "Tachidino", based on tachistoscopic, hemisphere-specific stimulation and on training of selective visual-spatial attention, has exactly these characteristics. Hence, the present study aims to test the efficacy of PUFA supplementation before and during treatment with Tachidino.
To evaluate, in primary care, the sensitivity of Heterophory-Vertical-Labile (HV-Labile) in ambulatory screening for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). in children aged 8 to 12 years.