Neuropsychological aspects of reading and reading disabilities

1. Neuropsychological aspects of reading and reading disabilities 03/05/13 Olga Chuntonov CONQUER Collaborative laboratory (Cognitive Neuro-engineering and Quantitative Experimental Research), the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems, Drexel University. Edmond J. Safra Brain Research in Learning Disabilities Laboratory, Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa.

2. Layout • The brain • The reading process • Dyslexia • Typical brain activation • Dyslexic brain activation • Brain plasticity and training • Reading Acceleration Program

3. The brain

4. The brain • The brain is the center of the nervous system • Functions: • Information processing • Perception • Learning and memory • Motor control Image from Wikipedia

5. What is the brain made of? • Neurons - the nerve cells. A typical adult human brain has about 100 billion neurons, each connected by synapses to several thousand other neurons • Glial cells - provide structural and metabolic support Neurons image courtesy of Rebecca Radcliff

6. Reading • Reading is an interpretation of graphic symbols • A complex cognitive skill, based on decoding, comprehension and fluency sub-skills

7. What is dyslexia? Dys = difficulty Lexia = language Rudolf Berlin of Stuttgart, Germany, in 1887

8. Symptoms • Difficulties with: • Recognition of individual sounds in words • Naming objects / letter … • Spelling • Reading fluently • Reading unfamiliar words (decoding difficulties)

9. Dyslexia - definition • Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin • It is characterized by • inaccurate and/or influent reading • poor spelling abilities • despite adequate intelligence, education, and socioeconomic status • Genetic predisposition (Lyon, Shaywitz, & Shaywitz, 2003; Smith-Spark & Fisk, 2007; Berninger et al., 2001; Eckert, 2004; OECD, 2002; Krafnicket al., 2010)

10. Famous People with Dyslexia • George Washington • Thomas Jefferson • John F. Kennedy • Winston Churchill • Albert Einstein • Pierre Curie • Alexander Graham Bell • Henry Ford • Leonardo da Vinci • Pablo Picasso • Hans Christian Andersen • Agatha Christie • John Lennon • Steven Spielberg • Whoopi Goldberg • Cher http://www.dyslexia.com/famous.htm

11. Typical brain activation during reading 3. Angular gyrus:  The early stages of word interpretation (semantic processing) Supramarginal gyrus:  phonological and articulatory processing of words 5. Broca’s area: Phonological processing and language production; (semantic aspects of language) 1. Prefrontal lobe: Directing attention to the reading task 4. Wernicke’s area: The full meaning of a written word is understood (representation of phonetic sequences) 2. Primary visual areas: The brain perceives the sight of words

12. Dyslexic brain activation during reading S&B Shaywitz, 2008

13. Brain plasticity • Neuroplasticity - long lasting structural and functional changes in the brain, that occur following experience • Our brains show the highest degree of plasticity during the early phases of life, however it is capable of adapting and growing even in adulthood (Jessberger & Gage, 2008; Draganski & May, 2008; Eriksson et al., 1998; Fischer, 2008; Gould, et al., 1999; Gross, 2000; Krafnick, et al., 2010; Poldrack, 2000; Stiles, 2000; Will et al., 2007; Ilg et al., 2008; Trachtenberg et al., 2002)

14. Is it possible, by means of intervention, to create brain reorganization in such a way that will enable dyslexic individuals to read fluently or at least reduce the difficulty?

15. Yes! • Training can lead to behavioral improvements (fluency, reading speed and accuracy)and brain activation changes for reading. • Simoset al. (2002): Following 80 hours of training children improved in basic reading tests, reaching average scores. Increase in activity in the left posterior brain area was detected. • Temple et al. (2003): After 8-weeks of computerized training children demonstrated improvement in language and reading ability, reaching the normal range. In addition, activity in left temporo-parietal brain area was increased. • Shaywitz et al. (2004): 8 months of one-on-one daily trainings lead to increased reading fluency and brain activation changes towards normalization. (Penolazzi et al., 2010; Shaywitz et al., 2004; Simos et al., 2002; Simos, et al., 2007; Spironelli et al., 2010, Temple et al., 2003)

16. Reading Acceleration Program (RAP) • Based on the “acceleration phenomenon”: there is a gap between ability and performance within each individual (Breznitz, 2006 for review) • Typical readers, whose reading pace is controlled by the program, when forced to read in a faster pace than usual increase the reading speed, accuracy and comprehension (Breznitz& Nevat 2004)

17. The Training Demonstration

18. Demonstration - Training Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet. They should be eaten on a daily basis. Many of your favorite cereals contain whole grains.

19. Demonstration - Training When should whole grains be eaten? on a daily basis on a weekly basis on a hourly basis Didn’t finish reading 1 2 3 0

20. Contact details: olga.chuntonov@gmail.com