title: The cerebellar-vestibular basis of learning disabilities in children, adolescents and adults: hypothesis and study.
abstract: This paper provides a description of the cerebellar-vestibular-determined (CV) neurological and electronystagmographic (ENG) parameters characterizing 4,000 patients with learning disabilities. Of this sample, 1465 or 36.6% were children, 1156 or 28.9% adolescents, and 1379 or 34.5% adults. Using a set of diagnostic methods and criteria, the incidence of CV-dysfunction in this diverse sample was statistically equivalent to that reported by neurologists and neurotologists in a prior "blind" analysis of 115 dyslexic children. Over 94% of both the learning disabled and the dyslexic samples showed two or more abnormal neurological or ENG parameters indicating a CV-dysfunction whereas less than 1% evidenced hard neurological signs of a cerebral disorder. These and related data suggested that: (1) learning disabilities and dyslexia may be cerebellar-vestibular-based and reflect a single disorder and that (2) the varying academic, speech, concentration, activity, and related symptoms characterizing learning disabled persons seem to be shaped by a diverse group of cerebellar-vestibular-determining mechanisms rather than distinct neurophysiological disorders; also, (3) cerebellar-vestibular dysfunctioning and learning disabilities may secondarily trigger altered and/or compensatory cerebral processing and dominance mechanisms. (4) The cerebral cortex apparently plays a vital, compensatory role in shaping the final symptoms. A cerebellar-vestibular basis of learning disabilities is proposed. This conceptualization is consistent with, encompasses, and/or readily explains most of these clinical diagnostic, therapeutic, and research data as well as the many and varied hypotheses.
authors.affiliation: New York University Medical Center.
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Levinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004584:Electronystagmography; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology*