title: Brain-potential analysis of visual word recognition in dyslexics and typically reading children.
abstract: The specialization of visual brain areas for fast processing of printed words plays an important role in the acquisition of reading skills. Dysregulation of these areas may be among the deficits underlying developmental dyslexia. The present study examines the specificity of word activation in dyslexic children in 3rd grade by comparing early components of brain potentials elicited by visually presented words vs. strings of meaningless letter-like symbols. Results showed a more pronounced N1 component for words compared to symbols for both groups. The dyslexic group revealed larger left-lateralized, word-specific N1 responses than the typically reading group. Furthermore, positive correlations between N1 amplitudes and reading fluency were found in the dyslexic group. Our results support the notion of N1 as a sensitive index of visual word processing involved in reading fluency.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Rudolf Berlin Center Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors: Gorka
authors: G
authors: Fraga González
authors: Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands ; Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors: Gojko
authors: G
authors: Zarić
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; IWAL Institute, Amsterdam Netherlands.
authors: Jurgen
authors: J
authors: Tijms
authors: Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands ; Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors: Milene
authors: M
authors: Bonte
authors: Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands ; Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors: Leo
authors: L
authors: Blomert
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Rudolf Berlin Center Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors: Maurits W
authors: MW
authors: van der Molen
keywords: N1; developmental dyslexia; event-related potentials; reading fluency; visual attention; visual word recognition