A preschool biomarker for literacy

描述（由申请人提供）：多达十分之一的儿童有较差的阅读和拼写技能，构成发展性阅读障碍。人们普遍认为这是神经学的基础；然而，这一基础的性质却备受争议。然而，一种一致的观点是，语音处理能力差——获取和操纵语言声音单位的能力——与阅读障碍有关。事实上，大多数有阅读障碍的儿童在一系列语音处理任务上表现出困难。越来越多的研究发现，通过电生理学测量，语音转录与学龄儿童的语音处理技能和阅读能力有着惊人的关系。因此，我们已经开发了一套皮层下和皮层生理测试来探测一些核心缺陷，研究人员认为这些缺陷是语音处理不良的根本因素。我们将针对时变信号和刺激规律的皮层下处理，以及快速和慢速信号的皮层半球特化。在一组4 - 8岁儿童的纵向队列中，我们将模拟正常的神经语言转录过程，量化其发展，并检查其与识字相关技能发展的关系。我们的目的是，通过利用这些电生理探针，在学龄前儿童中发现一种生物标志物，可以预测孩子在小学阶段的最终阅读技能。如果这种生物标记物被发现，它将为更早、更有效的针对性干预铺平道路。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As many as one in ten children have the poor reading and spelling skills that comprise developmental dyslexia. It is widely accepted that there is a neurological basis; however, the nature of that basis is hotly debated. Nevertheless, one consistent view is that poor phonological processing-the ability to access and manipulate the sound units of language-is involved in dyslexia. Indeed, a majority of children with reading deficits exhibit difficulties on an array of phonological processing tasks. A growing body of research has discovered that speech-sound transcription, as measured by electrophysiology, shows striking relationships with phonological processing skills and reading ability in school-age children. As such, we have developed a suite of subcortical and cortical physiological tests that probe some of the core deficits that researchers have postulated as the root elements of poor phonological processing. We will target the subcortical processing of time-varying signals and stimulus regularities, and cortical hemispheric specialization to both fast and slow signals. In a longitudinal cohort of four- to eight-year-olds, we will model the normal neurological speech transcription process, quantify its development, and examine its relationship with the development of literacy-related skills. Our intention is that by leveraging these electrophysiological probes to a pre-reading age group, a biomarker, in preschoolers, may be found that predicts a child's eventual reading skill as he/she progresses through the primary grades. If such a biomarker is found, it would pave the way for earlier and more effectively targeted intervention.