title: Neuropsychological deficits and neural dysfunction in familial dyslexia.
abstract: We report the neuropsychological profile and the pattern of brain activity during reading tasks in a sample of familial dyslexics. We studied our subjects with an in-depth neuropsychological assessment and with functional neuroimaging (fMRI) during word and pseudoword reading and false font string observations (baseline condition). The neuropsychological assessment revealed that familial dyslexia, in both persistent and compensated forms, is often associated with deficits in verbal short-term memory, phonological awareness and automatization abilities. The functional results showed a lack of activation in the posterior areas of the reading network. This study, together with the previously published VBM study (Brambati, S.M., Termine, C., Ruffino, M., Stella, G., Fazio, F., Cappa, S.F. and Perani, D., Regional reductions of gray matter volume in familial dyslexia, Neurology, 63 (2004) 742-5), provides a multiple modality evaluation of familial dyslexia. The neuropsychological assessment showed cognitive deficits associated with dyslexia that persist also in subjects with compensated reading deficit. Both the anatomical and the functional study point out a deficit in the posterior areas of the reading network.
authors.affiliation: Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Brambati
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Termine
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruffino
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danna
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanzi
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stella
authors.forename: Stefano Francesco
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Cappa
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen