Eyeblink conditioning indicates cerebellar abnormality in dyslexia

Experimental Brain Research
Roderick I NicolsonAdelheid Schulz

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that cerebellar deficit may be a causal factor in dyslexia. The cerebellum is considered to be the major structure involved in classical conditioning of the eyeblink response. In a direct test of cerebellar function in learning, 13 dyslexic participants (mean age 19.5 years) and 13 control participants matched for age and IQ undertook an eyeblink conditioning experiment in which for 60 acquisition trials an 800-ms auditory tone (conditioned stimulus, CS) was presented. On 70% of the trials an 80-ms corneal airpuff (unconditioned stimulus, US) was presented 720 ms after the tone onset. The cerebellar deficit hypothesis, uniquely of the causal hypotheses for dyslexia, predicts that the dyslexic participants would show abnormal performance in the incidence and/or timing of the conditioned response (CR) of an eyeblink in response to the tone (and before the US). Three of the dyslexic group showed no conditioning at all. Furthermore, the dyslexic group showed significantly worse "tuning" of the CR timing, together with significantly reduced habituation of the orienting response (OR) to the CS. Individual analyses indicated that 85% of the dyslexic group showed either no conditioning or abnormally poor CR...Continue Reading

Citations

Sep 6, 2012·Experimental Brain Research·Marja LaasonenJan Wikgren
Oct 1, 2005·Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology·Maggie E Toplak, Rosemary Tannock
Dec 14, 2011·Annals of Dyslexia·Shahrzad Irannejad, Robert Savage
Aug 2, 2012·The Cerebellum·Catherine J Stoodley, John F Stein
Mar 6, 2008·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·Masao Ito
May 19, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·William P FiferPeter D Balsam
Sep 20, 2005·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·S VicariL Petrosini
Nov 7, 2006·Developmental Neuropsychology·John E ObrzutArve Asbjornsen
Oct 10, 2012·Brain and Cognition·Marja LaasonenMatthew Dye
Apr 19, 2011·Research in Developmental Disabilities·Jose A BarelaPaulo B de Freitas
Dec 7, 2010·Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders·Adam B Steinmetz, Mabel L Rice
May 6, 2005·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Joan M CoffinJoshua O'Neill
Mar 3, 2007·Trends in Neurosciences·Roderick I Nicolson, Angela J Fawcett
Dec 13, 2006·Dyslexia : the Journal of the British Dyslexia Association·Catherine J StoodleyJohn F Stein
Mar 23, 2007·Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology·Angela J Fawcett, Roderick I Nicolson
Mar 3, 2007·Dyslexia : the Journal of the British Dyslexia Association·Agnieszka A ReidPeter Hansen
May 4, 2006·Developmental Science·Roderick I Nicolson, Angela J Fawcett
Aug 4, 2010·Dyslexia : the Journal of the British Dyslexia Association·R I NicolsonJ Needle
Feb 24, 2005·International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·Stephen A CoombesTimothy Conway
Feb 28, 2006·Neuroscience Letters·Catherine J Stoodley, John F Stein
Dec 28, 2005·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Maggie E ToplakRosemary Tannock
Aug 30, 2005·Neuropsychologia·Catherine J StoodleyJohn F Stein
Jun 25, 2014·Research in Developmental Disabilities·Paulo B de FreitasJose A Barela
Feb 3, 2007·Neuropsychologia·Rebecca L BrookesAngela J Fawcett
Aug 15, 2013·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Bethany C Reeb-Sutherland, Nathan A Fox
Oct 19, 2016·Developmental Psychobiology·Amanda R TarulloWilliam P Fifer
May 26, 2017·PloS One·Karolina LöwgrenGermund Hesslow
Sep 2, 2009·Journal of Learning Disabilities·Marja LaasonenLaura Hokkanen
Nov 11, 2017·Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders·Edward G FreedmanJohn J Foxe
Oct 10, 2019·Human Brain Mapping·Sikoya M AshburnGuinevere F Eden
Jun 11, 2019·Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience·Roderick I Nicolson, Angela J Fawcett
Jan 1, 2019·International Journal of School & Educational Psychology·Virginia W BerningerRobert D Abbott
Aug 9, 2020·Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS·Yafit Gabay, Lori L Holt

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.