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Project

Towards a multimodal multiple-deficit model of Developmental Dyslexia. Visual and auditory temporal processing in relation to attention and noise exclusion in persons with specific reading disabilities.

Developmental dyslexia (DD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, generally present in 5-7% of the primary school population. Although DD has been studied intensively over the past decades and there is agreement on the fact that it is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a genetic origin, no scientific consensus has been reached yet about the underlying cognitive and biological causes of this condition. Indeed, currently there is no single deficit that seems to explain all the behavioural symptoms of all persons with DD. So, it is important to focus on multiple-deficit model to understand this complex disorder. This doctoral project firstly aims to replicate the findings of the auditory temporal processing deficit theory. Secondly, we want to investigate whether there is also evidence for a visual analogue of this causal theory. Since until now only very few studies have explored auditory and visual processing simultaneously in the same group of persons with DD, we thirdly want to evaluate whether auditory and visual temporal processing deficits are cross-modal or modality specific in our participants with DD. Fourthly, we want to explore whether these deficits could be interpreted as noise exclusion deficits or rather as attention related problems. Doing so will enable us to disentangle the question whether the noise exclusion hypothesis can be seen as an alternative for, an addition to, or a specification of the temporal processing deficit hypothesis.

Date:1 Nov 2020 →  Today
Keywords:Developmental Dyslexia, Cognition, Development
Disciplines:Learning and behaviour, Disabilities and developmental disorders
Project type:PhD project