title: The time course of attentional focusing in dyslexic and normally reading children.
abstract: A cue size procedure was used to evaluate the time course of visuo-spatial attention in dyslexic and normally reading children. When a stimulus target is presented inside a large cue vs a small cue the identification time is slower. In the present study two cue-target delays (100 and 500 ms) were used. Results showed a slower time course of attentional focusing in dyslexics vs normal readers. Indeed, dyslexics exhibited no cue size effect at a shorter cue-target delay (100 ms), while it was present at a longer cue-target delay (500 ms). In contrast, a cue size effect was found at both cue-target delays in normally reading children. These results further support the hypothesis of sluggish automatic focusing of visual attention in dyslexics. This impairment could be a consequence of a general magnocellular deficit demonstrated previously in dyslexics.
authors: Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology Unit, Scientific Institute E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Facoetti
authors: Maria Luisa
authors: ML
authors: Lorusso
authors: Pierluigi
authors: P
authors: Paganoni
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Cattaneo
authors: Raffaella
authors: R
authors: Galli
authors: Gian Gastone
authors: GG
authors: Mascetti
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D003463:Cues; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology