title: How many functional brains in developmental dyslexia? When the history of language delay makes the difference.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical manifestations of developmental dyslexia (DD) are greatly variable, suggesting complex underlying mechanisms. It was recently advanced that the characteristics of DD in Italian, a language with shallow orthography, are influenced by a positive history for language delay.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We explored this hypothesis by studying in Italian individuals with DD (i) the brain representation of phonological processing with functional magnetic resonance imaging and (ii) the correlation between the patterns of activation and the presence/absence of previous language delay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen individuals with DD and 13 controls participated in the functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment consisting of a rhyme-generation task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with DD showed a reduced activation of phonological processing areas of the left hemisphere, such as the middle frontal gyrus, the precuneus, and the inferior parietal lobule, and in particular the superior temporal gyrus. Furthermore, patients with a history of language delay had reduced activation in the left inferior and medial frontal gyrus, that was associated with worse reading and phonological accuracy than patients with normal language development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neurofunctional profiles of Italian individuals with DD are correlated to the history of language delay, suggesting that the relatively better behavioral profiles observed in individuals without a history of language delay are associated with a major activation of frontal networks normally involved in phonological working memory.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pecini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biagi
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brizzolara
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Di Lieto
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guzzetta
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tosetti
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chilosi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007558:Italy; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests