Neurocognitive Foundations of Morphological Processing in Children with Dyslexia

项目摘要 发展性阅读障碍是一种特殊的学习障碍，其特征是单词阅读困难，影响5- 美国12%的儿童。阅读障碍通常与对语言声音的敏感性受损有关 （phonological awareness）。然而，阅读的最终目的不是为了获得声音，而是为了获得意义。 虽然在阅读障碍中，声音处理的神经认知机制及其损伤是 相对较好的理解，很少有人知道的作用和神经认知基础的敏感性单位的 意义（形态意识）在阅读障碍。这是一个主要的知识差距，因为有阅读障碍的孩子 通常表现出不良的形态意识，解码多形词变得越来越多， 对小学和中学的学业成功很重要。在词汇质量框架的指导下 和联结主义的阅读理论，本研究将探讨阅读的神经认知机制 与有阅读障碍的儿童（4 - 5年级）的文字阅读相关的潜在形态学处理，以及 年龄匹配（4 - 5年级）和技能匹配（2 - 3年级）的典型读者。我会收集结构和功能 磁共振成像（MRI）数据在一个新的形态处理任务。与会者还将 完成对口语、阅读和认知技能的综合评估。首先，我将描述 形态加工的神经认知基础及其在典型读者中的发展。然后我将测试 形态加工的神经认知基础在典型的发育中不同的假说 儿童和诵读困难者。最后，我将确定形态处理的神经相关性， 与单词阅读（dis）能力的行为测量相关，通过以下方式促进我们对阅读障碍的理解： 将大脑与行为联系起来这项工作是理论和实践的重要性，因为形态学成为 随着时间的推移，成功的阅读越来越重要，但阅读和阅读障碍的神经认知模型很少 包括形态学过程。此外，形态学可能是一种强大的方式来补偿 诵读困难的语音缺陷。研究结果可以为教育和临床实践提供信息， 形态加工作为一种有前途的补偿机制，并提供基于研究的干预 为陷入困境的读者提供帮助。拟议的研究将为完成研究金培训提供充分的机会 通过提高受训者的目标：1）阅读障碍的概念知识，2）功能磁共振成像技术培训 神经影像学，3）先进的方法学知识，4）与教育工作者合作的翻译技能， 临床医生这项工作将在麻省理工学院和麻省理工学院IHP进行，这两个充满活力的学术社区都拥有广泛的知识 儿科神经影像学资源，并由该领域具有数十年经验的领先专家监督 进行有关阅读和诵读困难的研究。

Project Summary Developmental dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by word reading difficulties that impacts 5- 12% of children in the US. Dyslexia is most commonly associated with impaired sensitivity to language sounds (phonological awareness). However the ultimate goal of reading is not to access sound, but to access meaning. Although the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying sound processing and its impairments in dyslexia are relatively well understood, little is known about the role and neurocognitive basis of sensitivity to units of meaning (morphological awareness) in dyslexia. This is a major gap in knowledge, as children with dyslexia typically demonstrate poor morphological awareness, and decoding polymorphemic words becomes increasingly important for academic success through elementary and middle school. Guided by the Lexical Quality framework and Connectionist theories of reading, the current proposal will investigate the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying morphological processing in relation to word reading children with dyslexia (4th-5th grade) as well as age-matched (4th-5th grade) and skill-matched (2nd-3rd grade) typical readers. I will collect structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data during a novel morphological processing task. Participants will also complete a comprehensive assessment of oral language, reading, and cognitive skills. First I will characterize the neurocognitive basis of morphological processing and its development in typical readers. I will then test the hypothesis that the neurocognitive basis of morphological processing differs between typically developing children and those with dyslexia. Finally, I will identify the neural correlates of morphological processing that are associated with behavioral measures of word reading (dis)ability, advancing our understanding of dyslexia by connecting brain to behavior. This work is of theoretical and practical importance, as morphology becomes increasingly important for successful reading over time, yet neurocognitive models of reading and dyslexia rarely include morphological processes. Additionally, morphology may be one powerful way to compensate for phonological deficits in dyslexia. Findings may inform educational and clinical practices to capitalize on morphological processing as a promising compensatory mechanism, and provide research-based intervention for struggling readers. The proposed study will provide ample opportunities to complete the fellowship training goals by advancing the trainee’s: 1) conceptual knowledge of dyslexia, 2) technical training in fMRI neuroimaging, 3) advanced methodological knowledge, and 4) translational skills in working with educators and clinicians. This work will be conducted at MIT and MGH IHP, both vibrant academic communities with extensive resources for pediatric neuroimaging, and supervised by leading experts in the field with decades of experience conducting research related to reading and dyslexia.