title: Diffusion tensor imaging correlates of reading ability in dysfluent and non-impaired readers.
abstract: Many children and adults have specific reading disabilities; insight into the brain structure underlying these difficulties is evolving from imaging. Previous research highlights the left temporal-parietal white matter as important in reading, yet the degree of involvement of other areas remains unclear. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and voxel-based analysis were used to examine correlations between reading ability and tissue structure in healthy adolescents and young adults (n=136) with a range of reading ability. Three complementary reading scores (word reading, decoding, and reading fluency) yielded positive correlations with fractional anisotropy (FA) that spanned bilateral brain regions, particularly in the frontal lobes, but also included the thalamus and parietal and temporal areas. An analysis of the unique effects of each reading assessment revealed that most of the variance in FA values could be attributed to sight word reading ability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2V2.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lebel
authors.forename: Bennett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shaywitz
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holahan
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaywitz
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marchione
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beaulieu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007802:Language; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult