Monday, January 26, 2004

Reading - From Research To Practice An editorial in January 2004 Nature Neuroscience describes 'better reading through brain research.'  Neuroscientists from Rutgers and UCSF have developed software based on their research into learning deficits and this program is currently being used in public and private schools in the US by almost a quarter of a million children. Studies have shown that many poor readers have general deficits in auditory discrimination and it is proposed by Paula Tallal (Rutgers) and others that low-level auditory deficits (such as determining the order of brief, rapidly presented sounds) may be the root cause of reading problems. This can then initiate a cascade of subsequent problems that result in multiple deficits. Michael Merzenich's  (UCSF) research demonstrated that auditory training could cause changes in the representation of sounds in the brain. This led to the hypothesis that training might reverse the processing deficits thought to underlie language problems. These two researchers began the Scientific Learning Corporation which now develops and markets patented interactive computer software based on this idea. The software takes the form of games that sharpen children's auditory skills while rewarding them in various fun ways for improved performance. For example, in one exercise that helps children discriminate phonemes, the task might be to determine the order of rapidly presented sounds. As performance improves, the computer delivers subsequent trials at faster speeds, approaching speeds necessary for natural speech distinctions. In another listening exercise, the computer presents speech sounds that are modified to exaggerate the differences between them, so that children can learn important distinctions between the component sounds. After using these programs, children with learning deficits in these areas, show improvements on various psychophysical tests of auditory processing, and,  their speech discrimination and overall language skills improve as well. A recent fMRI study published by Tallal, Merzenich and others concludes that after training, brain activation in 20 dyslexic children during a rhyming exercise more closely resembles activation patterns in normal readers, suggesting that the auditory training may set in motion a series of events that previously were unable to develop normally. These are promising results, which have been replicated using related methods in other laboratories. There still is much more research to be done and many different approaches to remedial education. Scientific Learning Corporation has had outside advisors conduct larger field tests of the program, and the results are available on the company's web site. The editorial concludes by pointing out that "practical applications of systems neuroscience research have been slow to develop, so we applaud the efforts to distribute the public benefits of this work. As pioneers, however, the new company's owners have no clear path to follow in ensuring that their products are fully tested. Thus it will be critical for the research community to learn to regulate itself to maintain public trust." Related studies by Dr. Tallal and others Related studies by Dr. Merzenich and others. Scientific Learning's BrainConnnection® Web site is an online source for the latest news and information about how the brain works, how we learn, and how neuroscience discoveries from around the world relate to our daily lives. 11:56:55 AM    comment []

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