Have you or your loved ones been diagnosed with developmental dyslexia?

You may be eligible to participate in a developmental dyslexia clinical trial.

Have you or your loved ones been diagnosed with developmental dyslexia? You may be eligible to participate in a developmental dyslexia clinical trial.

What is a clinical trial? Is participating in a clinical trial right for you? Learn more

Developmental Dyslexia Clinical Trial in Milan

NCT03119402 | Interventional

Have you or your loved ones been diagnosed with developmental dyslexia?

You may be eligible to participate in a developmental dyslexia clinical trial.

Have you or your loved ones been diagnosed with developmental dyslexia? You may be eligible to participate in a developmental dyslexia clinical trial.

Recruiting

Male & Female

19 - 30

Years old

This study is looking to recruit 20 Participants

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of Rhythmic Reading Training (RRT), a computer-assisted intervention method that combines sublexical reading exercises with rhythm processing, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reading abilities of a group of Italian undergraduate students with dyslexia. Two experimental conditions (active vs. sham) will be compared. Finally, the effects of the intervention on other cognitive functions involved in the process of reading (i.e., rapid automatized naming, verbal working memory, rhythm perception abilities) will be measured.

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Details for the study

Brief Title

Effects of the Combination of RRT With tDCS on Dyslexic Adults

Official Title

Combining A Rhythmic Intervention With tDCS to Improve Reading Skills in Dyslexic Adults

Brief Summary

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of Rhythmic Reading Training (RRT), a computer-assisted intervention method that combines sublexical reading exercises with rhythm processing, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reading abilities of a group of Italian undergraduate students with dyslexia. Two experimental conditions (active vs. sham) will be compared. Finally, the effects of the intervention on other cognitive functions involved in the process of reading (i.e., rapid automatized naming, verbal working memory, rhythm perception abilities) will be measured.

Treatments and/or Procedures

Rhythmic reading training

RRT is a computerized reading training program designed for Italian students with dyslexia. The main feature of this intervention is the integration of a traditional remediation approach (sublexical treatment) with rhythm processing. Therefore, all reading exercises are characterized by a rhythmic accompaniment with gradually increasing speed.

Transcranial direct current stimulation

tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) is a noninvasive weak-current brain stimulation technique that can facilitate (anodal electrode) or inhibit (cathodal electrode) cortical activity, thus offering exciting possibilities for the enhancement and treatment of impaired cognitive abilities.

Outcome Measures

Outcome measures are the tests that investigators perform to prove whether or not a treatment being tested in a clinical trial is having any effect.

Primary

Text reading accuracy expressed in number of errors

The ability to read aloud a text was assessed using the Italian standardized test 'Prova di velocità di lettura di brani' (Zoccolotti, Fondazione S. Lucia), which provides speed and accuracy scores in reading aloud age-normed texts.

2 weeks

Primary

Pseudo-word reading speed expressed in syllables per seconds

The ability to read aloud lists of pseudo-words was assessed using the following Italian standardized tests: 'Assessment battery for Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography-2' (Batteria per la valutazione della dislessia e disortografia evolutiva - DDE-2), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for pseudo-word reading (2 lists of 16 pseudo-words each with different lengths); 'Word and pseudo-word reading test' (WPRT, Prova di lettura di parole e non parole), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for pseudo-words reading (2 lists of 30 pseudo-words varying for length: short vs. long).

2 weeks

Primary

Word reading accuracy expressed in number of errors

The ability to read aloud lists of words was assessed using the following Italian standardized tests: 'Assessment battery for Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography-2' (Batteria per la valutazione della dislessia e disortografia evolutiva - DDE-2), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for word reading (4 lists of 28 words each with different lengths and frequency of use); 'Word and pseudo-word reading test' (WPRT, Prova di lettura di parole e non parole), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for word reading (4 lists of 30 words varying according to length: short vs. long and frequency of use: low vs. high frequency).

2 weeks

Primary

Word reading speed expressed in syllables per seconds

2 weeks

Primary

Text reading speed expressed in syllables per seconds

2 weeks

Primary

Pseudo-word reading accuracy expressed in number of errors

2 weeks

Secondary

Rhythm Discrimination

Rhythm discrimination task

2 weeks

Secondary

Verbal Working Memory

Onwards and backwards digit span

2 weeks

Secondary

Rapid Automatized Naming

Rapid Automatized Naming of colours and figures

2 weeks

Study Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  -  having been diagnosed with DD (ICD-10 code: F81.0) on the basis of standard inclusion
     and exclusion criteria (ICD-10: World Health Organization, 1992) and of the diagnosis
     procedure followed in the Italian practice

Exclusion Criteria:

  -  presence of comorbidity with other neuropsychiatric or psychopathological conditions
     (whereas comorbidity with other learning disabilities were allowed)

  -  exclusion criteria for the use of tDCS (e.g. epilepsy, pregnancy).