Undoing Dyslexia via Video Games

Certain letters sound very much the same - such as "b" and "p." In fact the distinct sounds represented by these letters occur exceedingly quickly in only ten hundredths of a second. Being able to distinguish between these ultra fast sounds and segment them out of words is known as phonemic awareness and forms the foundation of language, affecting not only what we hear but also reading, spelling and speaking. For most of us this does not cause a problem, but for the estimated 15 to 20 percent of Americans who struggle to learn to read, it can cause huge problems. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability and is often severe enough to make it difficult for children to succeed academically. Treatment for language and reading impairments by speech therapists and reading specialists is often a slow, long, expensive and frustrating experience for professionals, parents and children.

Now, psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist Paula Tallal, PhD, is one of the pioneering researchers that is using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify the source of reading difficulty in brain regions that do not adequately process letter/sound combinations. The imaging has shown that those with dyslexia have decreased activity in the brain's language-critical left temporoparietal region during phonological processing. Using this information, Dr. Tallal teamed up with neuroscientist Michael Merzenich, PhD, to develop neuroplasticity-based computerized video games that can "rewire" the brains of children with this form of dyslexia and activate those areas of the brain critical to reading skills. With intensive remedial training, their brains begin to function more like those of normal readers.

The video training program, called "Fast ForWord," provides intensive, highly individualized cross-training across a large number attention, processing, cognitive, linguistic and reading skills, all of which are vital for academic success. For example, in one of the games a child earns points by distinguishing the sounds "ba" from "pa." When a child masters the task, the game adjusts its playing level so the child is challenged on a more advanced level the next day, all the while being monitored via the Internet by a professional. Other games are designed to improve the speed of brain processing and also explicitly train children in all the rules of English grammar. The result: treatment effects that formerly required years of intervention are reduced to a few weeks.

A groundbreaking 2003 study using functional MRIs by Elise Temple, PhD, John Gabrieli, PhD, Dr. Tallal and other colleagues showed changes in brain function in children with dyslexia after using the computer program. The study found increased activation in multiple brain regions during phonological processing, as well as significantly improved language and reading.

Approximately 375,000 individuals have completed the video training across 2,200 public schools nationwide, and more than 2,000 private practice professionals use Fast ForWord programs in their clinics.

Other psychologists, such as Kenneth Pugh, PhD, of Haskins Laboratories, are also researching ways to translate brain research on reading ability and dyslexia to the classroom. Dr. Pugh is studying how to combine brain imaging with complex cognitive-behavioral work to improve students' ability to read.

Holly Fitch, R., & Tallal, P. (2003). Neural mechanisms of language-based learning impairments: Insights from human populations and animal models. Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, Vol. 2, pp. 155-178.

Tallal, P., & Benasich, A. A. (2002). Developmental language learning impairments. Development and Psychopathology, Vol. 14, pp. 559-579.

Temple, E., Deutsch, G.K., Poldrack, R.A., Miller, S.L., Tallal, P., Merzenich, M.M. & Gabrieli, J. (2003). Neural deficits in children with dyslexia ameliorated by behavioral remediation: Evidence from functional MRI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 100, pp. 2860-2865.

 American Psychological Association, June 1, 2004