DEVELOPMENTAL DYSLEXIA: VOLUMETRIC ANALYSIS OF REGIONAL VARIABILITY IN THE CEREBELLUM

Date

2012-05

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Abstract

Previous research has suggested that cerebellar deficits and subsequent impairment in procedural learning explain motor difficulties and reading impairment in dyslexia. This study investigated the role of regional variation in cerebellar anatomy in children with single-word decoding impairments (N = 23), children with impairment in fluency alone (N = 8), and typically developing children (N = 16). Results indicated that children with dyslexia demonstrated no statistically significant differences in overall gray and white matter volumes, cerebellar asymmetry, and reduced volume in the anterior lobe of the cerebellum relative to typically developing children. The study lacked enough power to detect any statistically significant differences in the group of children with impairment in fluency. These results implicate cerebellar involvement in dyslexia and establish an important foundation for future research on the connectivity of the cerebellum and cortical regions that are typically associated with reading impairment.

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Keywords

Dyslexia, Cerebellum, MRI, VOLUME, Developmental, Children, Reading, Decoding, Fluency

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