The Efficacy of a Visualizing Reading intervention on Improving the Brain's Reading Network in Children with Autism

摘要 这项提案的首要目标是测试综合阅读干预计划的影响 儿童阅读理解障碍神经生物学机制的改变 自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)。有证据表明，多达65%的自闭症儿童有缺陷。 在阅读理解方面。这最终会对语言、学习和学术成就产生深远的影响 (National，Clarke，Wright，&Williams，2006)。自闭症儿童阅读理解能力差通常是 它们在解码时的相对强度掩盖了这一点。此外，阅读理解总体上不是很好-- 因此，目前的治疗方法在其潜力和有效性方面是有限的。在这 项目中，我们将测试一组有ASD和NT对照的儿童，他们有共同的特征 平均水平的解码和低于平均水平的阅读理解。我们还包括了一个 增加一组无阅读理解障碍的NT组，这一组将作为另一对照 进行额外的比较。我们将测试强化阅读干预培训计划的效果， 语言理解和思维的形象化和言语化(V/V)及其对改变语言理解和思维的影响 自闭症儿童阅读理解的脑回路。该项目将使用多式联运 使用基于任务的功能MRI、静息状态功能MRI、弥散成像和 神经心理测试。应该指出的是，对语言的神经成像和行为研究 自闭症在很大程度上忽视了一群有理解缺陷的儿童。拟议中的项目 通过针对患有自闭症儿童(7-13岁)的大脑可塑性来解决这一关键差距。平均值 儿童对语言的理解能力低于平均水平是一个重要的问题 具有学术意义和公共卫生意义。这项研究的结果将对这一重要的 儿童的一个子组。此外，它还将测试干预的效果，从长远来看，这种干预可以帮助NT和 有阅读障碍的残疾儿童在学业上取得成功。研究结果可能会提供重要的 在学校使用V/V干预的初步步骤。

ABSTRACT The overarching goal of this proposal is to test the impact of a comprehensive reading intervention program on changing the neurobiological mechanisms underlying reading comprehension deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). There is evidence that as many as 65% of children with ASD have a deficit in reading comprehension. This ultimately has profound impact on language, learning, and academic success (Nation, Clarke, Wright, & Williams, 2006). Poor reading comprehension in children with autism is often masked by their relative strength in decoding. Moreover, reading comprehension in general is not well- understood, and as a result, current treatments are limited in its potential and in its effectiveness. In this project, we will test a group of children with ASD and NT control participants who share common characteristic of average level decoding along with below average reading comprehension. We also have included an additional NT group without any reading comprehension deficits, and this group will serve as another control for additional comparisons. We will test the efficacy of an intensive reading intervention training program, visualizing and verbalizing for language comprehension and thinking (V/V), and its effects on changing the brain circuitry underlying reading comprehension in children with ASD. The project will use multimodal neuroimaging with task-based functional MRI, resting state functional MRI, diffusion imaging, and neuropsychological testing. It should be noted that neuroimaging as well as behavioral studies of language in autism have largely ignored a subgroup of children with comprehension deficits. The proposed project addresses this critical gap by targeting brain plasticity in children with ASD (age: 7-13 years). Average decoding ability with below average comprehension of language in children is an important problem of academic and public health significance. The outcome of this study will throw more light on this important subgroup of children. In addition, it will test the efficacy of an intervention that can, in the long-run, help NT and disabled children with reading problems to achieve academic success. Findings may provide important preliminary steps in using V/V intervention in schools.