Evaluating a new verbal working memory-balance program: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial study on Iranian children with dyslexia

Abstract

Background It is important to improve verbal Working Memory (WM) in reading disability, as it is a key factor in learning. There are commercial verbal WM training programs, which have some short-term effects only on the verbal WM capacity, not reading. However, because of some weaknesses in current verbal WM training programs, researchers suggested designing and developing newly structured programs that particularly target educational functions such as reading skills. In the current double-blind randomized clinical trial study, we designed a new Verbal Working Memory-Balance (VWM-B) program which was carried out using a portable robotic device. The short-term effects of the VWM-B program, on verbal WM capacity, reading skills, and postural control were investigated in Iranian children with developmental dyslexia. Results The effectiveness of the VWM-B program was compared with the VWM-program as a traditional verbal WM training. In comparison with VWM-program, the participants who received training by the VWM-B program showed superior performance on verbal WM capacity, reading skills, and postural control after a short-term intervention. Conclusions We proposed that the automatized postural control resulting from VWM-B training had a positive impact on improving verbal WM capacity and reading ability. Based on the critical role of the cerebellum in automatizing skills, our findings support the cerebellar deficit theory in dyslexia. Trial registration: This trial was (retrospectively) registered on 8 February 2018 with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20171219037953N1).

Verbal Working Memory‐Balance program training alters the left fusiform gyrus resting‐state functional connectivity: A randomized clinical trial study on children with dyslexia

“…Participants were allocated into two groups by the block randomization method in a 1:1 ratio by a computer (Kim & Shin, 2014). Six blocks with a block size of 4 were considered in randomization to ensure a balance in sample size across groups (Ramezani et al, 2021). Participants in the control group received treatment by the VWM program as a traditional WM training.…”

“…Children with DD were eligible for the study if they had normal vision/hearing conditions, normal attention level as measured by CSI‐4, normal IQ score as measured by WISC‐IV, right‐handed, average socio‐economic status as reported by their families, and native‐Persian language (Ramezani et al, 2021). The subjects were formally diagnosed using a validated and reliable Persian battery of normative reading tests –NEMA (Moradi et al, 2016; Ramezani et al, 2021). Children who obtained a score of 25% or less for word reading efficiency and non‐word reading efficiency subtests of the NEMA in the preliminary screening entered the study (Moradi et al, 2016).…”

“…Children who obtained a score of 25% or less for word reading efficiency and non‐word reading efficiency subtests of the NEMA in the preliminary screening entered the study (Moradi et al, 2016). The subtest of non‐words reading efficiency is particularly important to diagnose DD for those who follow the theory of phonological deficit (Duncan & Johnston, 1999; Ramezani et al, 2021). The obtained scores of the word and non‐word reading sufficiency subtests in the screening test were used as pre‐intervention scores for subjects who were recruited to the study.…”

Rapid automatic naming and phonological awareness deficits in preschool children with probable developmental coordination disorder

“…Previous studies reported that developmental dyslexia in alphabetic languages was associated with sensorimotor deficits, balance, motor skills, time estimation, and cognitive deficit ( 43 , 44 ). The dyslexic individuals in Chinese languages showed several impairments in the sensorimotor domain such as balance, motor skills, rapid processing, morphological awareness, and orthographic deficits ( 45 ).…”

Anemia ‐ an initial manifestation of Bing‐Neel syndrome: A case report

“…[ 1 ] Hyperviscosity manifests as cerebral infarction caused by monoclonal immunoglobulinm (IgM) protein in the blood. [ 2 ]…”