Speech and Short-term Memory Functions in Dyslexia: a Combined MEG and EEG Study

Developmental dyslexia is a highly heritable disorder in which reading skills are compromised despite normal intelligence and appropriate reading instruction. Reading problems in dyslexia are thought to primarily originate from weak speech sound representations or poor phonological skills. Dyslexia has also been associated with short-term or working memory dysfunctions. The current study will address the presence of these problems in dyslexic adults by the means of recording auditory and audio-visual mismatch negativity (MMN) and its magnetic counterpart (MMNm) to determine neural speech sound discrimination, representations and integration of seen and heard language. In addition to analyzing neural processing of syllables or (pseudo-)words, a new approach to MEG acquisition and analysis to characterize the neural responses during comprehension of complex real-life speech will be used. Furthermore, reading, phonological and cognitive skills of these participants will be determined with a neuropsychological test battery. The associations between the neural, neuropsychological and genetic measures will be studied. This project will illuminate the nature of neurocognitive dysfunctions in dyslexia and their relationship with genes.