Neural Mechanisms of Successful Intervention in Children With Dyslexia

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Dyslexia, an impairment in accurate or fluent word recognition, is the most common learning disability affecting roughly ten percent of children. This proposal capitalizes on cutting edge neuroimaging methods, in combination with reading education programs, to generate a new understanding of how successful reading education shapes the development of the brain circuits that support skilled reading. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms of successful remediation of dyslexia, and individual differences in learning, will pave the way for personalized approaches to dyslexia treatment.

Official Title
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Neural Mechanisms of Successful Intervention in Children With Dyslexia

Conditions
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Dyslexia, Developmental

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Reading difficulties defined as low scores on standardized measures of reading skills Exclusion Criteria: no major contraindication for MRI (braces, metal implants, pacemakers, vascular stents, or metallic ear tubes). Because the study involves measurements of reading and language ability, new recruits will be native English speakers. Subjects have no history of neurological disorder, significant psychiatric problems exclude claustrophobic subjects since an MRI might be uncomfortable for them.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 8 Years
Maximum Age: 12 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Interventional Model Description: subjects are seen before and after receiving 8 weeks of reading instruction
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars<br>Subjects receive reading instruction focusing on the building blocks of reading | Behavioral: Lindamood-Bell Seeing Stars<br>* Seeing Stars in a curriculum developed by Lindamood-Bell. It is published and openly available. It involves systematic training in the building blocks of skilled reading.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Subjects are followed longitudinally but do not receive intervention | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| White matter plasticity | Change in white matter mean diffusivity measured with diffusion MRI | Change between baseline (within 2 weeks pre-intervention) and post-intervention (within 2 weeks post-intervention) | 
| White matter plasticity | Change in white matter mean diffusivity measured with diffusion MRI | Change between baseline (within 2 weeks pre-intervention) and post-intervention (1 year follow-up) |