Prediction and Intervention in Developmental Dyslexia

Neuronal Markers of Grapheme-phoneme Training Response for Prediction of Successful Reading Acquisition in Children at Familial Risk for Developmental Dyslexia

The long-term goal of this study is to improve prediction of poor reading outcome at preschool age by using a combination of behavioural and neuroimaging measures and to evaluate a specific computerized training program to support children with problems during reading acquisition.

Inclusion Criteria for all groups:

• Healthy, native (CH-) German speaking subjects, with an estimated non-verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) >=80, without neurological and/or psychiatric disorder (except for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disorders, developmental language impairments)
• Additional criteria for subgroups:
• Recruitment of preschoolers (aged 5.5-7.5 years):
• Healthy children with increased risk for developmental dyslexia in their second year at kindergarten
• Recruitment of children in first grade (aged 6.5-8.5years):
• Children showing impairments in learning to read (first/second grade).
• Adults (aged 20-40 years):
• Healthy, normal reading

Exclusion Criteria for all groups:

• MRI contraindications
• No history of premature delivery and/or maternal reports of severe prenatal, perinatal or postnatal complications.