Mismatch response is absent in 2-month-old infants at risk for dyslexia.
This study examined auditory processing in 2-month-old infants at genetic risk for dyslexia and in controls. Manipulated natural speech stimuli (/bAk/ and /dAk/), at either side of the phoneme boundary, were presented to these infants and their automatic cortical deviance responses were recorded. Control infants showed two distinct mismatch responses, thus extending similar findings reported with kindergartners in terms of topographical distribution and cortical sources. The absence of such mismatch responses in the infants at risk supports the hypothesis of basic auditory (temporal) processing impairments in the disorder. The results suggest that these early signs of deficient auditory processing may point to problematic categorical perception at a later age.
van Leeuwen
Theo
T
Department of Special Education, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. t.h.vanleeuwen@uva.nl
Been
Pieter
P
Kuijpers
Cecile
C
Zwarts
Frans
F
Maassen
Ben
B
van der Leij
Aryan
A
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000367:Age Factors; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors