Neurogenetic and Neurodevelopmental Pathways to Learning Disabilities

Authors

  • Michèle M.M Mazzocco
  • Martha Bridge Denckla
  • Harvey S. Singer
  • Donna M. Scanlon
  • Frank R. Vellutino
  • Allan L. Reiss

Abstract

This paper is a review of ongoing research projects designed to specify the cognitive, behavioral, and neuroanatomical phenotype of specific genetic etiologies of learning disability. The findings presented demonstrate the significant impact affordedby aneurogenetics approach to studying learning disability. The genetic disorders at the focus of this research include reading disability, neurofibromatosis type 1, Tourette syndrome and fragile X syndrome. Turner syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are included as important comparison groups for fragile X and Tourette syndromes, respectively. Proposed neurodevelopmental pathways for several of these disorders are discussed in view ofneuropsychological and neuroimaging results. Also presented are the implications drawn from this research for identifying and defining learning disability, and for relying on discrepancy-based criteria to identify childrerl with learning disability.

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Articles