An investigation of white matter properties as they relate to spelling behaviour in skilled and impaired readers

Cheema, Kulpreet; Sweneya, Sarah; Craig, Julia; Huynh, Truc; Ostevik, Amberley; Reed, Alesha; Cummine, Jacqueline

doi:10.1080/09602011.2022.2053168

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 65 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Specifically, we only included accuracy-based tasks in the current study to maintain some uniformity in variable measurement. Reaction time variables provide a unique perspective on the IFOF's involvement in language processing efficiency [5]. The possible relationship between reaction time and the diffusivity measures could provide more clarity on the role of the ventral and dorsal IFOF during those behavioral tasks.…”

Section: Limitations Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is known that white matter tracts allow communication between different brain regions; therefore, it is likely that these tracts are needed for language processes. Many studies have sought to decipher how complex processes like speech production, speech perception, and literacy are related to underlying brain connectivity [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Several of these studies have identified networks of interconnected brain regions involved in these language processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Moving towards an Understanding of the Role of the Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus in Language Processing

Eze,

Omorotionmwan,

Cummine

2024

NeuroSci

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Evidence has been provided for a clear structural distinction between the dorsal and ventral portions of the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus (IFOF). As such, there is reason to propose that there might also be a functional differentiation of the dorsal and ventral components of the IFOF. Here, we explored three main hypotheses/schools of thought with regards to the functional frameworks of the dorsal and ventral components of the IFOF: (1) the phonological vs. semantic processing hypothesis, (2) the difficult vs. non-difficult task processing hypothesis and (3) the automatic vs. non-automatic processing hypothesis. Methods: Participants (N = 32) completed a series of behavioral tasks that aligned with each of the main hypotheses. Using a regression-based approach, we assessed the unique contribution of behavioral performance to dorsal and ventral IFOF white matter indicators (i.e., fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity). Results: We found significant relationships between ventral IFOF indices and orthographic awareness (p = 0.018) and accuracy (p = 0.009). Overall, our results provide converging evidence that the IFOF primarily operates as a ventral language tract in adults. Thus, the structural distinction between dorsal and ventral IFOF does not manifest as a parallel functional distinction.

show abstract

Section: Limitations Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moving towards an Understanding of the Role of the Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus in Language Processing

Eze,

Omorotionmwan,

Cummine

2024

NeuroSci

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The sample included 73 native English-speaking adult participants recruited at the Royal Holloway, University of London (57 females, mean age 21y, SD = 2.7, age range [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]; the age of one participant was recorded incorrectly and therefore excluded from the age data). All participants were right-handed and had no history of diagnosed learning disabilities or neurological conditions.…”

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In sum, prior studies of white matter in impaired populations report associations with spelling abilities in both dorsal and ventral white matter pathways. To our knowledge, only one recent study examined spelling-related white matter in neurotypical adults, reporting that spelling performance was associated with the left ILF in skilled readers and the uncinate fasciculus in impaired readers (Cheema et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The current study examines the associations between spelling performance among neurotypical adults and speci c white matter tracts hypothesized to support spelling processes. We construct our hypotheses based on converging evidence from neuroimaging studies of written word production (Ban et al, 2019;Cheema et al, 2022;Gebauer et al, 2012;Planton et al, 2013;Purcell, Turkeltaub, et al, 2011) and lesion data from brain-damaged patients with acquired dysgraphia (Alexander et al, 1992;Beauvois & Dérouesené, 1981;Bub & Kertesz, 1982;Caramazza et al, 1987;Goodman & Caramazza, 1986b, 1986aHenry et al, 2007;Hillis et al, 2004;Rapcsak et al, 1988;Rapcsak & Beeson, 2004;Rapp et al, 2016;Roeltgen & Heilman, 1984Shallice, 1981;Tomasino et al, 2015). Within the framework of the dualstream model for the functional anatomy of language (Hickok & Poeppel, 2007), since spelling involves both lexical and sublexical processes, we hypothesize that spelling abilities could be associated with both lexically-related ventral tracts and phonologically-related dorsal tracts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

White matter associations with spelling performance

Sagi,

Taylor,

Neophytou

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Multiple neurocognitive processes are involved in the highly complex task of producing written words. Yet, little is known about the neural pathways that support spelling in healthy adults. We assessed the associations between performance on a difficult spelling-to-dictation task and microstructural properties of language-related white matter pathways, in a sample of 73 native English-speaking neurotypical adults. Participants completed a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) scan and a cognitive assessment battery. Using constrained spherical deconvolution modeling and probabilistic tractography, we reconstructed dorsal and ventral white matter tracts of interest, bilaterally, in individual participants. Spelling associations were found in both dorsal and ventral stream pathways. In high-performing spellers, spelling scores significantly correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) within the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, a ventral stream pathway. In low-performing spellers, spelling scores significantly correlated with FA within the third branch of the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, a dorsal pathway. An automated analysis of spelling errors revealed that high- and low- performing spellers also differed in their error patterns, diverging primarily in terms of the orthographic distance between their errors and the correct spelling, compared to the phonological plausibility of their spelling responses. The results demonstrate the complexity of the neurocognitive architecture of spelling. The distinct white matter associations and error patterns detected in low- and high- performing spellers suggest that they rely on different cognitive processes, such that high-performing spellers rely more on lexical-orthographic representations, while low-performing spellers rely more on phoneme-to-grapheme conversion.

show abstract

White matter associations with spelling performance

Sagi,

Taylor,

Neophytou

et al. 2024

Brain Struct Funct

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Multiple neurocognitive processes are involved in the highly complex task of producing written words. Yet, little is known about the neural pathways that support spelling in healthy adults. We assessed the associations between performance on a difficult spelling-to-dictation task and microstructural properties of language-related white matter pathways, in a sample of 73 native English-speaking neurotypical adults. Participants completed a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scan and a cognitive assessment battery. Using constrained spherical deconvolution modeling and probabilistic tractography, we reconstructed dorsal and ventral white matter tracts of interest, bilaterally, in individual participants. Spelling associations were found in both dorsal and ventral stream pathways. In high-performing spellers, spelling scores significantly correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) within the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, a ventral stream pathway. In low-performing spellers, spelling scores significantly correlated with FA within the third branch of the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, a dorsal pathway. An automated analysis of spelling errors revealed that high- and low- performing spellers also differed in their error patterns, diverging primarily in terms of the orthographic distance between their errors and the correct spelling, compared to the phonological plausibility of their spelling responses. The results demonstrate the complexity of the neurocognitive architecture of spelling. The distinct white matter associations and error patterns detected in low- and high- performing spellers suggest that they rely on different cognitive processes, such that high-performing spellers rely more on lexical-orthographic representations, while low-performing spellers rely more on phoneme-to-grapheme conversion.

show abstract

An investigation of white matter properties as they relate to spelling behaviour in skilled and impaired readers

Cited by 4 publications

References 65 publications

Moving towards an Understanding of the Role of the Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus in Language Processing

Moving towards an Understanding of the Role of the Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus in Language Processing

White matter associations with spelling performance

White matter associations with spelling performance

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About