Differential Diagnosis in Learning Disabilities

描述（由申请人提供）：科罗拉多学习障碍研究中心（CLDRC）的长期目标是识别，表征，验证和改善阅读障碍和ADHD，这两种最普遍且经常并存的儿童疾病。为了实现这些目标，CLDRC采用了一种独特的方法来评估遗传和环境影响对这些疾病的影响程度，并利用病因学中的共变异来了解阅读技能的缺陷是单一综合征的表现还是代表不同的亚型。包括认知和学术能力（项目一）、阅读、写作和语言过程（项目二）、多动症和执行功能（项目三）的心理测量测试，将对同卵双胞胎和异卵双胞胎及其兄弟姐妹进行测试，其中每对双胞胎中至少有一人患有阅读障碍，对双胞胎及其兄弟姐妹进行独立测试，其中每对双胞胎中至少有一人患有多动症。另一组是双胞胎和他们的兄弟姐妹，没有阅读障碍或多动症的学校历史。结果数据将用于评估阅读缺陷（包括单词识别技能、阅读流畅性、理解和写作）、ADHD的病因，以及它们的共病，以及它们与音素意识、语音解码、正字法编码、词汇、听力理解和执行功能的共变。为了绘制影响学习障碍的数量性状位点，并进行关联和突变分析，将从所有双胞胎的家庭中获取血液样本（项目四）。项目V将评估3个样本对计算机辅助教学的反应：早期（k -4）有风险的读者，在项目l-ll中发现有阅读障碍的2 -4年级双胞胎，以及有阅读障碍的4年级双胞胎，我们从学龄前开始对他们进行了广泛的纵向评估。在项目V中对指导的反应也将在项目IV中进行分子遗传学分析研究。一个行政核心单位将负责协调五个研究项目的活动，确定和安排主题，获取问卷数据和血液样本，以及管理中心的预算。阅读障碍和注意力缺陷多动症是重要的公共卫生问题。所提出的研究将促进我们对其病因和补救措施的理解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-range objectives of the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center (CLDRC) are the identification, characterization, validation and amelioration of reading disabilities and ADHD, the two most prevalent and often co-morbid disorders of childhood. To accomplish these objectives, the CLDRC employs a unique approach that assesses the extent to which genetic and environmental influences underlie these disorders, and that uses covariation in etiology to understand whether deficits in component skills of reading are manifestations of a single syndrome or represent separate subtypes. Test batteries that include psychometric measures of cognitive and academic abilities (Project I), reading, writing, and language processes (Project II), and ADHD and executive functions (Project III) will be administered to a sample of identical and fraternal twins and their siblings in which at least one member of each twin pair has a reading disability, to an independent sample of twins and their siblings in which at least one member of each twin pair has ADHD, and to a comparison group of twins and their siblings with no school history of reading disabilities or ADHD. Resulting data will be used to assess the etiologies of reading deficits (including word recognition skills, reading fluency, comprehension, and writing), ADHD, and their comorbidity, as well as their covariation with measures of phoneme awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and executive functions. In order to map quantitative trait loci that influence learning disabilities, and conduct association and mutation analyses, blood samples will be obtained from families of all twin pairs (Project IV). Project V will assess response to computer-assisted instruction in 3 samples: early (K-4th) at-risk readers, 2nd - 4th grade twins identified with reading disabilities in Projects l-lll, and 4th grade twins with reading disabilities for whom we have extensive longitudinal assessments starting from preschool. Response to instruction in project V will also be studied in the Project IV molecular-genetic analyses. An administrative core unit will be responsible for coordinating the activities of the five research projects, ascertaining and scheduling subjects, obtaining questionnaire data and blood samples, and administering the Center budget. Reading disabilities and ADHD are important public health problems. The proposed research will advance our understanding of their etiology and remediation.