Semantic memory and reading abilities: A case report

AbstractWe document the unexpected dissociation of preserved reading skills in a patient with severely impaired semantic memory. The common co-occurrence between impairment of word meaning and surface dyslexia has not been observed. The patient (hereafter called DRN) had marked naming and word comprehension difficulties. A strong word frequency effect was observed on tests of word comprehension but was absent in a test of word reading. DRN's ability to read both regular and exception words that he failed to comprehend was remarkably well preserved. We will argue that these findings provide further support for the independence of semantic and phonological processing. (JINS, 1995, I, 104–110.)

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Early Phonological Neural Specialization Predicts Later Growth in Word Reading Skills

10.31234/osf.io/vjkdf ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Brianna L. Yamasaki ◽

Karla Kay McGregor ◽

James R. Booth

Keyword(s):

Phonological Processing ◽

Semantic Processing ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Word Reading ◽

Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Reading Growth ◽

Best Fitting ◽

And Performance ◽

Performance Results

According to the Interactive Specialization Theory, cognitive skill development is facilitated by a process of neural specialization. In line with this theory, the current study investigated whether neural specialization for phonological and semantic processing at 5-to-6 years old was predictive of growth in word reading skills from 5-to-8 years old. Specifically, four regression models were estimated in which reading growth was predicted from: (1) an intercept-only model, (2) measures of semantic and phonological neural specialization, (3) performance on semantic and phonological behavioral tasks, or (4) a combination of neural specialization and behavioral performance. Results from the preregistered analyses revealed little evidence in favor of the hypothesis that early semantic and phonological skills predict growth in reading. However, results from the exploratory analyses, which included a larger sample, focused exclusively on the phonological predictors, and investigated relative growth in reading, demonstrated strong evidence that variability in phonological processing is predictive of growth in word reading skills. Specifically, the best fitting model included both measures of phonological neural specialization within the posterior superior temporal gyrus and performance on a phonological behavioral task. This work provides important preliminary evidence in favor of the Interactive Specialization Theory and, more specifically, for the role of phonological neural specialization in the development of early word reading skills.

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THE RELATION BETWEEN MUSIC AND PHONOLOGICAL PROCESSING IN NORMAL-READING CHILDREN AND CHILDREN WITH DYSLEXIA

Music Perception An Interdisciplinary Journal ◽

10.1525/mp.2008.25.4.383 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 383-390 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

MARIE FORGEARD ◽

GOTTFRIED SCHLAUG ◽

ANDREA NORTON ◽

CAMILLA ROSAM ◽

UDITA IYENGAR ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phonological Processing ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Music Perception ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Past Research ◽

Music Intervention ◽

Music Training ◽

Music And Language ◽

Normal Reading ◽

Reading Abilities

PAST RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT MUSIC and language skills are related in normal-reading children as well as in children with dyslexia. In both an ongoing longitudinal study with normal-reading children and a pilot study with children with dyslexia, we found a strong relationship between musical discrimination abilities and language-related skills. In normal-reading children, musical discrimination predicted phonological and reading skills (Studies 1 and 2). These relationships were stronger in children with music training than in control children without music training. In children with dyslexia,musical discrimination predicted phonological skills, which in turn predicted reading abilities (Study 3). Furthermore, normal-reading children with music training surpassed both normal-reading controls and children with dyslexia in melodic discrimination. Controls also outperformed children with dyslexia (Study 4). Taken together, these findings suggest that a music intervention that strengthens the basic auditory music perception skills of children with dyslexia may also remediate some of their language deficits.

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Early Phonological Neural Specialization Predicts Later Growth in Word Reading Skills

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnhum.2021.674119 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

Author(s):

Brianna L. Yamasaki ◽

Karla K. McGregor ◽

James R. Booth

Keyword(s):

Phonological Processing ◽

Semantic Processing ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Word Reading ◽

Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽

Behavioral Performance ◽

Reading Growth ◽

Best Fitting ◽

Decisive Evidence ◽

Performance Results

According to the Interactive Specialization Theory, cognitive skill development is facilitated by a process of neural specialization. In line with this theory, the current study investigated whether neural specialization for phonological and semantic processing at 5-to-6 years old was predictive of growth in word reading skills 2 years later. Specifically, four regression models were estimated in which reading growth was predicted from: (1) an intercept-only model; (2) measures of semantic and phonological neural specialization; (3) performance on semantic and phonological behavioral tasks; or (4) a combination of neural specialization and behavioral performance. Results from the preregistered analyses revealed little evidence in favor of the hypothesis that early semantic and phonological skills are predictive of growth in reading. However, results from the exploratory analyses, which included a larger sample, added age at Time 1 as a covariate, and investigated relative growth in reading, demonstrated decisive evidence that variability in phonological processing is predictive of reading growth. The best fitting model included both measures of specialization within the posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG) and behavioral performance. This work provides important evidence in favor of the Interactive Specialization Theory and, more specifically, for the role of phonological neural specialization in the development of early word reading skills.

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Putative protective neural mechanisms in pre-readers with a family history of dyslexia who subsequently develop typical reading skills

10.1101/707786 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Xi Yu ◽

Jennifer Zuk ◽

Meaghan V. Perdue ◽

Ola Ozernov-Palchik ◽

Talia Raney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family History ◽

Phonological Processing ◽

Word Reading ◽

Developmental Trajectories ◽

Familial Risk ◽

Structural Connectivity ◽

Neural Mechanisms ◽

Enabling Factors ◽

Reading Abilities ◽

History Of

AbstractDevelopmental dyslexia is a learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading. While the prevalence in the general public is around 10-12%, an increased prevalence of 40-60% has been reported for children with a familial risk. Neural atypicalities in the reading network have been observed in children with (FHD+) compared to without (FHD-) a family history of dyslexia, even before reading onset. Despite the hereditary risk, about half of FHD+ children develop typical reading abilities (FHD+Typical) but the underlying neural characteristics and the developmental trajectories of these favorable reading outcomes remain unknown. Utilizing a retrospective, longitudinal approach, this is the first study to examine whether potential protective neural mechanisms are present before reading onset in FHD+Typical. Functional and structural brain characteristics were examined in 69 pre-readers who subsequently developed typical reading abilities (35 FHD+Typical/34 FHD-Typical) using MRI/fMRI. Searchlight-based multivariate pattern analyses identified distinct activation patterns during phonological processing between FHD+Typical and FHD-Typical in right inferior frontal (RIFG) and left temporo-parietal (LTPC) regions. Hypoactivation in LTPC was further demonstrated in FHD+Typical compared to FHD-Typical, suggesting that this previously reported neural characteristic of dyslexia is primarily associated with familial risk. Importantly, FHD+Typical pre-readers exhibited higher activation in RIFG than FHD-Typical, which was associated with increased interhemispheric functional and structural connectivity. These results suggest that putative protective neural mechanisms are already established in FHD+Typical pre-readers and may therefore support their successful reading development. Further studies are needed to investigate the functional significance and developmental trajectories of these neural mechanisms as well as their enabling factors, which has the potential to inform the design of early preventative/remediation strategies.

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Summer Learning Loss among Elementary School Children with Reading Disabilities

Exceptionality Education International ◽

10.5206/eei.v23i1.7705 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jessica Menard ◽

Alexander M Wilson

Keyword(s):

Private School ◽

Phonological Processing ◽

Reading Disabilities ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Word Reading ◽

Receptive Vocabulary ◽

Learning Loss ◽

Summer Learning ◽

Sight Word ◽

Sight Word Reading

This study investigated whether students with reading disabilities (RD) showed greater regression in reading skills than did non-RD students over the summer vacation. The RD group consisted of 30 students in grades 4 to 6 from a private school for students with learning disabilities and a comparison group of 30 average readers in grades 4 to 6 attending a public school. All students were tested in May/June and September on measures of reading achievement, phonological processing, and oral receptive vocabulary. Significant regression in the RD group’s scores was found on speed of sight word reading, speeded phonological decoding, and untimed sight word reading. These results suggested that students with RD tend to decline in areas that require automatic reading skills. Implications for students with RD in relation to periods of extended absence from formal literacy instruction are discussed.

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