Dataset Information

Movement detection thresholds reveal proprioceptive impairments in developmental dyslexia.

ABSTRACT: Developmental dyslexia is associated with vision and hearing impairments. Whether these impairments are causes or comorbidities is controversial. Because both senses are heavily involved in reading, cognitive theories argue that sensory impairments are comorbidities that result from a lack of reading practice. Sensory theories instead argue that this is sensory impairments that cause reading disabilities. Here we test a discriminant prediction: whether sensory impairments in developmental dyslexia are restrained to reading-related senses or encompass other senses. Sensory theories predict that all senses are affected, whereas, according to the lack of reading practice argument, cognitive theories predict that only reading-related senses are affected. Using a robotic ergometer and fully automatized analyses, we tested proprioceptive acuity in seventeen dyslexic children and seventeen age-matched controls on a movement detection task. Compared to controls, dyslexics had higher and more variable detection thresholds. For the weakest proprioceptive stimuli, dyslexics were twice as long and twice as variable as controls. More, proprioceptive acuity strongly correlated with reading abilities, as measured by blind cognitive evaluations. These results unravel a new sensory impairment that cannot be attributed to a lack of reading practice, providing clear support to sensory theories of developmental dyslexia. Protocol registration: This protocol is part of the following registration, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03364010; December 6, 2017.

SUBMITTER: Laprevotte J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7801726 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Movement detection thresholds reveal proprioceptive impairments in developmental dyslexia.

Laprevotte Julie J Papaxanthis Charalambos C Saltarelli Sophie S Quercia Patrick P Gaveau Jeremie J

Scientific reports 20210111 1

Developmental dyslexia is associated with vision and hearing impairments. Whether these impairments are causes or comorbidities is controversial. Because both senses are heavily involved in reading, cognitive theories argue that sensory impairments are comorbidities that result from a lack of reading practice. Sensory theories instead argue that this is sensory impairments that cause reading disabilities. Here we test a discriminant prediction: whether sensory impairments in developmental dyslex ...[more]

PMID: 33431949

Similar Datasets

Project description:Background:Increasing attention is payed to the contribution of somatosensory processing in motor control. In particular, temporal somatosensory discrimination has been found to be altered differentially in common movement disorders. To date, there have only been speculations as to how impaired temporal discrimination and clinical motor signs may relate to each other. Prior to disentangling this relationship, potential confounders of temporal discrimination, in particular age and peripheral nerve conduction, should be assessed, and a quantifiable measure of proprioceptive performance should be established. Objective:To assess the influence of age and polyneuropathy (PNP) on somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT), temporal discrimination movement threshold (TDMT), and behavioral measures of proprioception of upper and lower limbs. Methods:STDT and TDMT were assessed in 79 subjects (54 healthy, 25 with PNP; age 30-79 years). STDT was tested with surface electrodes over the thenar or dorsal foot region. TDMT was probed with needle electrodes in flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. Goniometer-based devices were used to assess limb proprioception during (i) active pointing to LED markers, (ii) active movements in response to variable visual cues, and (iii) estimation of limb position following passive movements. Pointing (or estimation) error was taken as a measure of proprioceptive performance. Results:In healthy subjects, higher age was associated with higher STDT and TDMT at upper and lower extremities, while age did not correlate with proprioceptive performance. Patients with PNP showed higher STDT and TDMT values and decreased proprioceptive performance in active pointing tasks compared to matched healthy subjects. As an additional finding, there was a significant correlation between performance in active pointing tasks and temporal discrimination thresholds. Conclusion:Given their notable impact on measures of temporal discrimination, age and peripheral nerve conduction need to be accounted for if STDT and TDMT are applied in patients with movement disorders. As a side observation, the correlation between measures of proprioception and temporal discrimination may prompt further studies on the presumptive link between these two domains.

Dataset Information

Movement detection thresholds reveal proprioceptive impairments in developmental dyslexia.

Publications

Movement detection thresholds reveal proprioceptive impairments in developmental dyslexia.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets