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Abstract:
Abstract: Reading disability is characterized by deficits in
both phonological awareness and visual motion processing. To
investigate the relationship between visual motion processing and
reading skills in children ages 11-15, we conducted a functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in 10 controls and 15 poor
readers (with single word identification scores on the
Woodcock-Johnson below 85). Comparing radial visual motion stimuli
to fixation in normal readers, we saw activation in bilateral
medial and lateral extrastriate cortex (including V5/MT), inferior
parietal cortex and the left inferior frontal gyrus. Direct
comparisons between the good and poor readers revealed diminished
activity for poor readers in some of these same areas as well as
several frontal areas. In addition, positive correlations between
word and nonword reading measures and increased fMRI signal during
visual motion perception were observed in bilateral cuneus, right
V5/MT, right parietal cortex, and bilateral superior frontal
cortex. Negative correlations with reading skills identified
several areas including the left angular gyrus. These results
demonstrate functional differences in visual motion processing in
relation to the severity of reading disability. Moreover, these
findings have implications for understanding compensatory
mechanisms for visual motion processing in poor readers.
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