Gray Matter Structure Changes Following Intervention in Children with RD or MD

项目总结和摘要 发展性阅读障碍，又称阅读障碍（RD），是一种以非预期的阅读为特征的阅读障碍 计算障碍或数学残疾（MD）的特征是算术方面的意外损伤 能力.这两种学习障碍（LD）都与灰质（GM）结构的差异有关， 典型发育（TD）儿童。对RD儿童进行强化阅读干预（辅导）， 显示出提高阅读技能和改变大脑结构，但不知道数学干预是否会导致 类似的神经解剖学变化。目前还不清楚干预是如何引起的。 与TD中脑结构的发育轨迹相比，这些LD中脑结构的变化 特别是LD干预机制是否涉及正常化或补偿。 在拟议的研究中，我们将（1）调查干预引起的阅读和数学技能的变化， (2)研究两个GM属性（例如，灰质体积和皮质厚度）的变化 成功的干预措施，在儿童与LD，（3）比较这些GM的发现， 典型的发展历程。在目标1中，我们将描述从儿童中收集的行为数据， RD和MD分别接受90小时的阅读或数学干预。我们将根据先前的分析 以确定相关学术技能的作用（例如，音素意识）和性别对行为收益的影响 在每次干预中。 在目标2中，我们将测量RD儿童中干预引起的GM结构变化 和MD。我们将测试每组中行为增益与GM结构变化之间的相关性。 我们希望观察到干预诱导的GM变化（以及与行为增益的相关性）， 阅读干预后RD中的半球阅读相关区域，以及双侧额叶皮层的变化。 顶叶区域与数学干预后的算术相关。我们还将确定是否预先- 干预GM属性与每个干预期间的行为收益的大小相关。 干预 在目标3中，我们将比较我们在LD中的解剖学变化的发现与观察到的TD儿童的变化 随着时间的推移，将我们的干预结果置于“正常化”、“补偿”或 两者具体来说，我们将测试目标2中确定的相同大脑区域的变化。一个TD组， 接受与RD和MD组相同的结构MRI方案，将用于直接比较。一 第二，较大的TD组（来自NIH数据库）将用于复制第一个TD组。总体而言，所有 三个目标将导致对LD干预的脑机制的更多理解， 以及这些大脑变化与典型发育的关系。

PROJECT SUMMARY AND ABSTRACT Developmental dyslexia, or reading disability (RD), is characterized by unexpected reading impairments, and dyscalculia, or math disability (MD), is characterized by unexpected impairment in arithmetic abilities. Both learning disabilities (LDs) are associated with differences in gray matter (GM) structure compared to typically developing (TD) children. Intensive reading intervention (tutoring) in children with RD has been shown to improve reading skills and change brain structure, but it is unknown whether math intervention results in similar neuroanatomical changes in children with MD. It is also not yet known how intervention-induced changes in brain structure in these LDs compare to the developmental trajectory of brain structure in TD children, specifically whether the mechanisms of intervention in LD involve normalization or compensation. In the proposed study, we will (1) investigate intervention-induced changes in reading and math skills, (2) study how two GM properties (e.g., gray matter volume and cortical thickness) change in response to successful interventions in children with LDs, and (3) compare these GM findings to those occurring over the course of typical development. In Aim 1, we will characterize the behavioral data collected from children with RD and MD undergoing 90 hours of reading or math intervention, respectively. We will build on prior analyses to determine the role of related academic skills (e.g., phonemic awareness) and sex on behavioral gains made during each intervention. In Aim 2, we will measure intervention-induced changes in GM structure in the same children with RD and MD. We will test for correlations between behavioral gains and changes in GM structure in each group. We expect to observe intervention-induced GM changes (and correlations with behavioral gains) in left hemisphere reading-related areas in RD following the reading intervention, and changes in bilateral fronto- parietal regions associated with arithmetic following the math intervention. We will also determine whether pre- intervention GM properties are associated with the magnitude of behavioral gains made during each intervention. In Aim 3, we will compare our findings of anatomical changes in LD to changes in TD children observed over time to contextualize our intervention results as “normalization,” “compensation,” or some combination of both. Specifically, we will test for changes in the same brain regions identified in Aim 2. One TD group, which underwent the same structural MRI protocol as the RD and MD groups, will be used for direct comparison. A second, larger TD group (from an NIH database) will be used for replication of the first TD group. Overall, all three Aims will lead to an increased understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying interventions in LDs, and how these brain changes relate to typical development.