# Assessment of alterations in regional homogeneity and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in children with dyslexia

## TL;DR

The study explores brain activity differences in children with dyslexia and how specialized education affects these patterns.

## Contribution

The study introduces new insights into how specialized education can alter brain connectivity in children with dyslexia.

## Key findings

- Children with dyslexia showed reduced ReHo and ALFF in regions linked to reading and language processing.
- Specialized education led to compensatory increases in brain activity in dyslexic children.
- Findings highlight altered neural synchronization in dyslexia compared to healthy controls.

## Abstract

Exploratory methods in neuroimaging are gaining increasing attention for revealing functional connectivity structures across the entire brain. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the functional mechanisms underlying dyslexia, along with the effects of specialized education for dyslexia treatment, by utilizing measures such as regional homogeneity (ReHo), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and fractional ALFF (fALFF).

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from three groups of Turkish-speaking children aged 7–12: diagnosed with dyslexia for the first time (Dys, n = 19), children with dyslexia who received specialized education (EDys, n = 20), and healthy controls (HC, n = 27). In the study, brain activation in individuals with dyslexia was examined through resting-state analyses employing the ReHo, ALFF, and fALFF methods.

Significant reductions in ReHo and ALFF values were observed in brain regions associated with phonological processing and visuomotor integration in children with dyslexia. These findings indicate altered neural synchronization related to cognitive deficits in reading and language processing. Compared to HC, children with Dys showed significantly reduced ReHo and ALFF values in the left precuneus and middle frontal gyrus, while those EDys exhibited compensatory increases in calcarine and lingual gyri.

This study provides valuable insights into the resting-state neural connectivity of individuals with dyslexia, highlighting the impact of specialized educational programs in treating dyslexia. Our findings contribute to understanding the altered connectivity foundations of dyslexia compared to healthy children and support the development of educational interventions within this framework.