title: Could audiovisual training be used to improve cognition in extremely low birth weight children?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study whether a dyslexia remediation programme, Audilex, improves cognition in extremely low birth (ELBW) children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six-year-old ELBW children were allocated to a 5-week training with Audilex or playing control computer games. Before and after intervention, auditory event-related brain potentials (ERP) to sound changes were recorded and reading related skills assessed. Primary outcome was the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of ERP. Secondary outcomes were Audilex Test (ability to perform the Audilex games), the reading skills after the intervention and 2 years later. Of eligible children, 39 (54%) consented and 22 (30%) completed the protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MMN responses to the frequency (p = 0.02) and duration deviants (p < 0.01) increased after Audilex training (n = 11), but not after control game playing (n = 11). Audilex Test performance was similar in both groups. The reading skills were similar after intervention and 2 years later; word reading score 59.7, 66.8 and 74.9 and comprehensive reading score 8.1, 8.8 and 9.4 in Audilex, Control and healthy class-mate children, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although all children did not complete the protocol, the results suggest that training with Audilex dyslexia programme might be beneficial for enhancing neural-level sound discrimation and possibly reading skills in ELBW children. A larger trial is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Cognitive Science, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huotilainen
authors.forename: Riikka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lovio
authors.forename: Teija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kujala
authors.forename: Viena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tommiska
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karma
authors.forename: Vineta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fellman
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D018910:Video Games