Keywords
Neuroscience
Learning
Neuropsychology
How to Cite
Abstract
Specific learning disorders -referred as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysorthography, dysgraphia, among others- are multidimensional challenges for the academic, emotional and social performance of children and adolescents. These are not due to sensory deficits or teaching failures, but rather are the result of specific neurobiological abnormalities. In the case of dyslexia, for instance, neuroimaging research has found atypical activation in critical regions of the left hemisphere, such as the fusiform gyrus or the temporoparietal region, involved in decoding and phonological abilities, and reduced functional connectivity among these and other (in)directly relevant language production areas. On another hand, dyscalculia, involves changes in the intraparietal sulcus and the thalamus with effects on the processing of numbers and working memory. The neuropsychological evaluation is the touchstone of diagnosis for these learning disorders and for the planning of more individualized remediation. A variety of neuroscience-informed treatments (e.g., hemispheric stimulation, cognitive training, transcranial electrical stimulation, and educational computer games) have been successful in increasing reading and executive functions. Further research is, however, still required to gain an improved understanding of these conditions and an ethical obligation among professionals to follow the developments in this emerging field of learning disorder neuroscience.
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