Brain Laterality in Dyslexia Seen during Literacy Development and Early Training

Abstract

During the period in which children learn to read and write, a gradual shift from right to left hemisphere dominance for language is typically seen. However, in children with dyslexia, a deviant pattern is described in the literature. As part of a larger longitudinal study (The Bergen Longitudinal Dyslexia Study), the present study aimed to assess this development from an early age before children learn to read and write. Dichotic listening (DL), which is a non-invasive test, was used to assess the development of brain laterality in a Typical group and a Dyslexia group. The participants received yearly sessions of evidence-based literacy training at ages 5 to 7. The Typical group showed increasing ear scores and a shift from no ear advantage in the Pre-literacy stage (age 6), indicative of no hemisphere dominance, to a right ear advantage, indicative of a left hemisphere dominance, in the Emergent literacy stage (age 8) and the Literacy stage (age 11). The Dyslexia group showed a different pattern, with a significant right ear advantage at age 6, indicative of a right hemisphere dominance, and increasing ear scores at ages 8 and 11; however, no ear dominance was observed in the Literacy stage. The results point to an effect of relevant, evidence-based training affecting both right and left hemispheres in dyslexia, which should form a basis for further research.