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Right frontotemporal activation by tonal memory in dyslexia, an O15 PET Study
J M Rumsey1, P Andreason, A J Zametkin
1Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Biological Psychiatry
|August 1, 1994
Summary
This study found that dyslexic men show reduced right temporal cortex activation during tonal memory tasks, suggesting this may contribute to reading difficulties. This contrasts with normal left temporal activation, highlighting complex brain differences in dyslexia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Disorders
Background:
- Previous research indicated dyslexic individuals fail to activate left temporoparietal cortex during phonological processing.
- Anomalous right planum temporale in developmental dyslexia suggests potential functional differences in right-sided brain regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional implications of right temporal cortex activation in dyslexic men.
- To examine how dyslexics perform on a tonal memory task known to engage right-sided cortical regions.
Main Methods:
- Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured in 15 right-handed dyslexic men and 18 matched controls.
- Brain activity was assessed during rest and during a tonal memory task.
- Performance on the memory task was quantified by the number of errors made.
Main Results:
- Control participants showed significant activation in right frontotemporal and left temporal regions.
- Severely dyslexic men exhibited reduced activation in right frontotemporal areas and made more errors.
- Dyslexic men demonstrated normal activation in left mid to anterior temporal cortex.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the hypothesis of underlying deficits in rapid temporal processing in dyslexia.
- Results suggest the involvement of right (in addition to left) temporal cortex in severe dyslexia.
- Dyslexia may involve atypical functional organization in both left and right temporal brain regions.
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