Dyslexia (specific reading and writing disability) and dysgraphia (specific spelling disability only) compromise quality of life during childhood and adulthood if not diagnosed and treated at appropriate developmental stages. Better understanding of the etiology of these disorders may lead to better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health problems. The broad aims of Project IV are therefore to (a) understand the neural substrates differentiating dyslexia, dysgraphia, and normal reading and spelling; (b) investigate how these neural substrates may or may not change as a function of specific kinds of treatment for dyslexia and/or dysgraphia and passage of time for normal reading and spelling controls imaged at the same time as for dyslexics / dysgraphics; (c) evaluate whether previous fMRS (PEPSI) and fMRI findings are reproducible; and (d) examine interrelationships among multiple levels of neurological analyses (neuroanatomical, connectivity) and linguistic (cognitive/behavioral), and identify the most likely genetic candidates among the various neurological measures studied. To achieve these aims, Project IV (Brain Imaging) will work closely with Project I (Treatment) and Project III (Family Genetics) in the University of Washington Multidisciplinary Learning Disability Center. The purpose of this supplement is to release funds for Years -09 and -10 of Project IV so that the first three aims (see above) can be completed and the last aim can commence.
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