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Reading performance correlates with white-matter properties in preterm and term children
James S Andrews1, Michal Ben-Shachar, Jason D Yeatman
1School of Medicine, Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
Insights
White-matter integrity, particularly in the corpus callosum, is linked to reading ability. Perinatal white-matter injury may impact long-term reading development in children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Reading ability is crucial for academic success.
- White-matter integrity, assessed via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), plays a role in cognitive functions.
- Preterm birth is associated with potential neurological and developmental challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between white-matter integrity and reading ability in children.
- To explore correlations between fractional anisotropy (FA) in specific brain regions and reading performance.
- To examine the influence of birth weight and gestational age on white-matter structure and reading skills.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to measure white-matter integrity.
- Fractional anisotropy (FA) was analyzed in the left temporoparietal region and corpus callosum.
- Reading ability was assessed using Woodcock-Johnson III subtests (word identification, word attack, passage comprehension).
Main Results:
- Preterm children exhibited lower reading scores compared to a control group.
- Significant correlations were found between birth weight and FA in the corpus callosum.
- FA in the genu and body of the corpus callosum correlated significantly with reading skills.
Conclusions:
- White-matter integrity in the corpus callosum is associated with reading performance.
- Perinatal white-matter injury, especially in the corpus callosum, may have lasting effects on reading development.
- The findings highlight the importance of perinatal factors for long-term reading outcomes.
Aim:
We used diffusion tensor imaging to investigate the association between white-matter integrity and reading ability in a cohort of 28 children. Nineteen preterm children (14 males, five females; mean age 11 y 11 mo [SD 1 y 10 mo], mean gestational age 30.5 wks (SD 3.2), mean birthweight was 1455 g [SD 625]); and nine term children (five males, four females; mean age 12 y 8 mo [SD 2 y 5 mo], mean gestational age 39.6 wks (SD 1.2), and mean birthweight 3877 g [SD 473]).
Method:
We tested whether fractional anisotropy in a left hemisphere temporoparietal region and in the corpus callosum correlates with birthweight and scores on the following three subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement: word identification, word attack, and passage comprehension.
Results:
Preterm children had lower reading scores than a comparison group for all reading subtests (p<0.05). We found significant correlations between birthweight and fractional anisotropy in the whole corpus callosum (p=0.001), and between fractional anisotropy and reading skill in the genu (p=0.001) and body (p=0.001) of the corpus callosum. The correlation between reading skill and fractional anisotropy in a left temporoparietal region previously associated with reading disability was not significant (p=0.095).
Interpretation:
We conclude that perinatal white-matter injury of the central corpus callosum may have long-term developmental implications for reading performance.
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