Event-related potential and behavioral correlates of attention in reading retardation

Auditory selective and sustained attention was examined in 12-year-old reading-disabled and normal boys. The reading-retarded group obtained generally low scores on verbal and achievement measures. For selective attention, two tone pip series of differing frequencies were presented, one to each ear. Infrequent signal tone pips of varying pitch were interspersed in each series. As the subjects counted the signals in one ear, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. To evaluate the waveforms, the average amplitude within latency ranges that encompassed the ERP peaks was computed. For the ERPs to the signals, the retarded readers showed significantly less positivity than did the controls in the P3 latency range. The ERPs to the tone pip series displayed a 400 msec period of greater negativity to the attended than to nonattended stimuli, which was similar for the groups. Also, no major group differences were found for the behavioral measures of button-press responses to the selectively attended signals, vigilance, motor coordination, lateral preference, and dichotic listening. Attentive abilities appear intact in children with reading retardation, contrary to those with hyperactivity, and may distinguish these learning disorders.