Abstract

Phonological awareness (PA) training is a core intervention in dyslexia. Recently, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been probed as a complementary intervention for increasing reading ability in dyslexia, but not for enhancing the efficacy of PA. The aim of the current study was thus to examine whether tDCS combined with a PA intervention improves reading, but also PA abilities as a proxy in children with dyslexia. A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial was performed to assess the effects of tDCS (applied bilaterally over the temporo-parietal junction with the anode placed over the left, and the cathode placed over the right hemisphere) combined with PA training on reading and PA abilities in dyslexic patients. Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to active (PA + anodal tDCS) or sham (PA + sham tDCS) groups. Each subject participated in 15 treatment sessions. PA and real/non-word reading were evaluated at baseline before the intervention, at the end of the fifth, tenth, and final intervention sessions, and then 6 weeks after intervention. In the active tDCS group, the mean scores of non-word reading and PA tests were significantly improved during, immediately, and 6 weeks after the treatment, as compared to the sham tDCS group. tDCS is thus a promising complementary intervention if combined with PA training to enhance PA and reading abilities in dyslexia for an extended period after treatment.

摘要

语音意识 (PA) 训练是阅读障碍的核心干预措施。最近，经颅直流电刺激 (tDCS) 已被探索作为增加阅读障碍阅读能力的补充干预措施，但不能提高 PA 的功效。因此，本研究的目的是检查 tDCS 与 PA 干预相结合是否可以改善阅读，以及作为阅读障碍儿童代理的 PA 能力。进行了一项随机、双盲、假对照临床试验以评估 tDCS（双侧应用于颞顶叶交界处，阳极置于左侧，阴极置于右半球）结合 PA 训练的效果关于阅读障碍患者的阅读和 PA 能力。二十八名参与者被随机分配到活动（PA + 阳极 tDCS）或假（PA + 假 tDCS）组。每个受试者参加 15 次治疗。PA 和真实/非单词阅读在干预前的基线、第五次、第十次和最后一次干预会议结束时以及干预后 6 周进行了评估。与假 tDCS 组相比，在活动 tDCS 组中，非单词阅读和 PA 测试的平均分数在治疗期间、即刻和治疗后 6 周显着提高。因此，如果与 PA 训练相结合以在治疗后的较长时间内增强阅读障碍的 PA 和阅读能力，tDCS 是一种很有前途的补充干预措施。在第五次、第十次和最后一次干预会议结束时，然后是干预后 6 周。与假 tDCS 组相比，在活动 tDCS 组中，非单词阅读和 PA 测试的平均分数在治疗期间、即刻和治疗后 6 周显着提高。因此，如果与 PA 训练相结合以在治疗后的较长时间内增强阅读障碍的 PA 和阅读能力，tDCS 是一种很有前途的补充干预措施。在第五次、第十次和最后一次干预会议结束时，然后是干预后 6 周。与假 tDCS 组相比，在活动 tDCS 组中，非单词阅读和 PA 测试的平均分数在治疗期间、即刻和治疗后 6 周显着提高。因此，如果与 PA 训练相结合以在治疗后的较长时间内增强阅读障碍的 PA 和阅读能力，tDCS 是一种很有前途的补充干预措施。