An ERP Research Of Stroop Interference And Transfer Effect Of Working Memory Training In Chinese Developmental Dyslexia Children

Objective:Developmental dyslexia is a specific learning disability caused by neurological problems resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.Dyslexia affects the brain’s ability to perceive and process linguistic information,which is mainly manifested by difficulties in decoding,reading,and spelling.Working memory is an important component of the cognitive system,which refers to an individual’s ability to store and manipulate information transiently while performing cognitive tasks.Previous studies have found that children with dyslexia show working memory deficits,and children with dyslexia also show significant deficits in the inhibitory function of the central executive system.Firstly,the present study used the Stroop task to explore the differences in inhibition functions between children with Chinese developmental dyslexia and typically developing children,and intervened with a self-programmed working memory training software for children with dyslexia to investigate whether working memory training could produce significant transfer effects on children with dyslexia.Methods:In the experiment 1,we recruited 17 dyslexic children from grades 3-5 and 17 typically developing children in the same school according to age,gender,and IQ level.The Stroop color-word test was used on the two groups of children respectively,and the behavioral data and EEG data were recorded.The accuracy and reaction time and the related ERP(event-related potential)data of the two groups of children on the Stroop task were compared.In the experiment 2,we randomly divided 32 dyslexic children into a training group(n=16)and a control group(n=16),and used computer-adaptive working memory training software to train the two groups in different working memory intervention systems.Results:In the experiment 1,Behavioral data showed differences in response time and accuracy between the 2 groups.In the ERP results,dyslexic children displayed larger P2 and P3 b on congruent trials,while non-dyslexic children displayed larger P2 and P3 b on incongruent trials,the 2 groups showed opposite brain activation patterns on the Stroop test.In the experiment 2,we found significant near-transfer(Working Memory Index test)and far-transfer effects(literacy,behavioral and ERP results of the Stroop task and the rhyme judgments task)for working memory training in children with dyslexia.Conclusions:Chinese developmental dyslexic children have deficits in inhibition ability,and they showed an abnormal activation pattern on the Stroop task,and this abnormal activation pattern may be related to their poorer inhibition,which may be influenced by the excessive input of cognitive resources in the attentional stage.Meanwhile,working memory training can significantly improve the working memory ability of Chinese dyslexic children,and the training also brings a significant far-transfer effect,improving other cognitive abilities of dyslexic children.