Remediation effects on N170 and P300 in children with developmental dyslexia

Behav Neurol. 2010;22(3-4):121-9. doi: 10.3233/ben-2009-0257.

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the ERP correlates (N170 and P300 components) of a multimodal training program focused in dyslexia. ERPs were obtained from 32 electrodes in 24 French children with developmental dyslexia (mean age 10 years 7 months) during a visual lexical decision task. All the children received two intensive two-month evidence-based training programs: one based on phonemic awareness and the other on visual and orthographic processing in a cross-over design. Ten control children matched on chronological age were also tested. We showed dissociation between N170, P300 and behavioral improvement. In the dyslexic group, P300 amplitude decreased for non-words and words as the latter yielded performance improvement. In the control group, the same effect was observed for pseudo-words. At the same time, the opposite pattern occurred for the N170 latency, which was shortened for pseudo-words and pseudo-homophones in the dyslexic group and for words in the typically achieving children. We argue that training might modulate cortical activity in dyslexic children in a visual word recognition task. Considering the well-known implication of P300 in attentional processes, our results reflect the strong link between reading skill improvement after remediation and visual attentional process maturation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attention / physiology
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Dyslexia / physiopathology*
  • Dyslexia / therapy*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Event-Related Potentials, P300*
  • Evoked Potentials*
  • Female
  • France
  • Humans
  • Language Tests
  • Language Therapy
  • Male
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology
  • Phonetics
  • Reading*
  • Recognition, Psychology / physiology
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome