Molecular Genetics Of Dyslexia: A Component Processes Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,960.00
Summary
With the advent of the human genome project, Australian researchers into serious childhood reading disorders are now in a position to make breakthroughs in understanding the complex linkages between genes and dyslexia. It is widely acknowledged that previous studies on the genetics of dyslexia have been limited by their failure to distinguish the different component processes in reading and the different patterns of dyslexia that they produce, and by being unable to look widely across the human ....With the advent of the human genome project, Australian researchers into serious childhood reading disorders are now in a position to make breakthroughs in understanding the complex linkages between genes and dyslexia. It is widely acknowledged that previous studies on the genetics of dyslexia have been limited by their failure to distinguish the different component processes in reading and the different patterns of dyslexia that they produce, and by being unable to look widely across the human genome. This new research addresses these two problems. Firstly, the researchers have developed a computational model of reading that identifies around a dozen basic mental processes which are recruited during skilled reading. This model provides the extremely precise phenotypes required for genetic research. Secondly, the researchers will take advantage of both very high density scans within known regions of interest on chromosomes 2,6, and 15, as well as a genome-wide scan of 400 markers small elements of DNA whose position within the genome is known, thus allowing researchers to narrow-down the location of new genes for reading. The research thus promises not only to refine our understanding of the basis for three previous genetic markers of dyslexia, but also to potentially uncover new genes related to specific elements of reading across the genome. The project pools the resources of the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, the Australian Genome Research Facility, and The Garvan Institute and the researchers hope that the work will lead eventually to identifying the genes for dyslexia and to improved diagnosis and treatment of reading disorders in Australia.Read moreRead less
Understanding How Language And Reading Problems Develop: A Population-based Longitudinal Study From Infancy To Age 7
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$667,507.00
Summary
Early language and reading problems are common and therefore significant public health problems. They are disabling and have life-long implications for oral and written communication skills, social and emotional well-being, cognition, behaviour, academic achievement and employment. This study will address the following three problems: 1. To date no study has documented how language and reading problems develop from infancy (8 months) through to school age (7 years). 2. Little is known about risk ....Early language and reading problems are common and therefore significant public health problems. They are disabling and have life-long implications for oral and written communication skills, social and emotional well-being, cognition, behaviour, academic achievement and employment. This study will address the following three problems: 1. To date no study has documented how language and reading problems develop from infancy (8 months) through to school age (7 years). 2. Little is known about risk factors, identified early in infancy and childhood, that can be reliably used to predict language and reading problems later in childhood. 3. The relationships between language difficulties and reading problems are poorly understood. Therefore, we currently have no satisfactory methods for reliably detecting which children at much younger ages are at risk of later language disorders or reading problems. Without this information it is impossible to develop effective prevention and early intervention programs. These programs are critical if we are to: a) Prevent language and reading problems from occurring, thereby reducing the prevalence of the problem b) Intervene early in childhood, thereby reducing in the longer term the burden and cost associated with language and reading problems. The proposed study builds on an existing substantial investment by the NHMRC in the Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS). It will provide a world-first description of the evolution of language difficulties and reading problems from infancy through to school age within a single population cohort.Read moreRead less
Predictors And Correlates Of Developmental Language Problems: A Longitudinal Study From Infancy To Pre-school Age
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$537,750.00
Summary
Language impairment is a disabling condition, thought to affect between 7% and 15% of 4 year old children. It has serious and lasting implications for social and emotional development, cognition, behaviour and literacy. A link has been demonstrated between language impairment and later psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Given the potential of enhancing the language development of young children, it is critical that effective prevention and early intervention programs are availab ....Language impairment is a disabling condition, thought to affect between 7% and 15% of 4 year old children. It has serious and lasting implications for social and emotional development, cognition, behaviour and literacy. A link has been demonstrated between language impairment and later psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Given the potential of enhancing the language development of young children, it is critical that effective prevention and early intervention programs are available. However, current knowledge is liminted in that there are no entirely satisfactory methods for detecting children who at much younger ages, 8 months, 12 months, 2 years and 3 years, are at risk of later impairment. In this study we aim to: examine the risk factors (many are thought to exist) that contribute to language impairment learn more about the natural history of this disabling disorder in children between 8 months and 4 years of age Ultimately, we aim to identify early signs that might warn health professionals and parents of language impairment so that such problems can be detected much earlier. Early identification will mean that help is available at an earlier age to children who currently go on to have persisting and extremely disabling language impairment.Read moreRead less
Auditory Processing Deficits In Specific Language Impairment And Specific Reading Disability:Their Effects And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,250.00
Summary
One possible cause of specific language impairment (SLI) and specific reading disability (SRD; commonly known as dyslexia) is an inability to discriminate between sounds. Such an impairment could affect the ability to discriminate between simple speech sounds (phonemes) which are the basic building blocks for developing spoken language and reading skills. How many children with SLI or SRD have poor sound discrimination? What pattern of spoken language and reading impairments do these children ha ....One possible cause of specific language impairment (SLI) and specific reading disability (SRD; commonly known as dyslexia) is an inability to discriminate between sounds. Such an impairment could affect the ability to discriminate between simple speech sounds (phonemes) which are the basic building blocks for developing spoken language and reading skills. How many children with SLI or SRD have poor sound discrimination? What pattern of spoken language and reading impairments do these children have as a result of this impairment? Can poor sound discrimination be fixed? If it can, does it improve spoken language and reading impairments? And if it does, does it have an immediate effect or does it take some time to make a difference? These are some of the questions that will be addressed by this research. The answers will help us develop a training program that focuses specifically on improving the sound discrimination abilities of children who really need it. This will be a more efficient and inexpensive (if not free) than the Fast ForWord program that trains multiple non-verbal and verbal processing abilities regardless of whether a child has an impairment in all (or any) of these abilities and is therefore time consuming (approximately 80 hours) and expensive (approximately $AUD2000). The data will also help up better identify the spoken and written language profiles that characterise children who have sound discrimination deficits so we can better predict whether they would benefit from training programs such as Fast ForWord. And the data will tell use whether impaired sound discrimination can be used to predict whether infants might be at risk for later spoken language and reading problems.Read moreRead less
Affinity-based Profiling Of Bacterial Fe(III)-siderophore Receptors: Design Strategies For Antibiotics And Iron Overload
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$275,016.00
Summary
In order to establish an infection, bacteria compete with the host for iron, which is in scarce supply. To access iron, bacteria produce compounds called siderophores which bind iron strongly. The iron-siderophore complex, which is unique to each bacterium, is recognised by specific receptors at the bacterial cell-surface and imported for use. In this project, we are using modified siderophores as platforms for bacteria-specific drug design with the aim of producing new antibiotics.
The Relationship Between Cognition And Interictal Discharges: Language Organization And Spike Localisation In BECTS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$216,500.00
Summary
Benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS, rolandic epilepsy) is a common cause of seizures in primary school children. Despite this it is poorly understood. Although seizures are infrequent, brainwave recordings (electroencephalography, EEG) reveal striking abnormalities present much of the time. Large, sharply contoured brain waves (spikes) are seen frequently, increasing during sleep. The pattern of the spikes, and the characteristic nature of seizures have suggested the epilepsy ari ....Benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS, rolandic epilepsy) is a common cause of seizures in primary school children. Despite this it is poorly understood. Although seizures are infrequent, brainwave recordings (electroencephalography, EEG) reveal striking abnormalities present much of the time. Large, sharply contoured brain waves (spikes) are seen frequently, increasing during sleep. The pattern of the spikes, and the characteristic nature of seizures have suggested the epilepsy arises near the face area of the motor cortex, but this remains unproven. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a safe and non-invasive way of imaging cerebral function, to reveal the brain at work . The technology is contributing to major advances in understanding of basic human functions such as language. Recent developments at the Brain Research Institute in Melbourne mean it is now possible to record EEG during fMRI. This has permitted visualisation of spike activity in the brain. The BRI is the only centre in Australia, and one of only a handful in the world that is able to perform such studies. One purpose of this study is reveal the location of spikes in BECTS. Recent studies have revealed subtle language and learning difficulties in BECTS children. Our preliminary EEG-fMRI studies have suggested spikes arise from brain regions adjacent to important language areas. It is possible that the frequent spikes of BECTS are interfering with adjacent cognitive processes. In addition to spike mapping, we will perform functional imaging of language to look for interactions between spike and language areas, and compare with patterns of language activation seen in normal children. The demonstration of spike related affects on cognition may lead to a reassessment of current epilepsy management strategies, which focus predominately on seizure control. This study, with researchers in Cairns and Melbourne, shares the benefits of world class research with regional Australia.Read moreRead less