Effects of the Combination of RRT With tDCS on Dyslexic Adults
- Conditions
- Developmental Dyslexia
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Rhythmic Reading TrainingDevice: Transcranial direct current stimulation
- Registration Number
- NCT03119402
- Lead Sponsor
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
- Brief Summary
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of Rhythmic Reading Training (RRT), a computer-assisted intervention method that combines sublexical reading exercises with rhythm processing, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reading abilities of a group of Italian undergraduate students with dyslexia. Two experimental conditions (active vs. sham) will be compared. Finally, the effects of the intervention on other cognitive functions involved in the process of reading (i.e., rapid automatized naming, verbal working memory, rhythm perception abilities) will be measured.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- UNKNOWN
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 20
- having been diagnosed with DD (ICD-10 code: F81.0) on the basis of standard inclusion and exclusion criteria (ICD-10: World Health Organization, 1992) and of the diagnosis procedure followed in the Italian practice
- presence of comorbidity with other neuropsychiatric or psychopathological conditions (whereas comorbidity with other learning disabilities were allowed)
- exclusion criteria for the use of tDCS (e.g. epilepsy, pregnancy).
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description RRT + active tDCS Rhythmic Reading Training Rhythmic Reading Training, administered for 5 hours over 10 days consecutive (30-minute training sessions per day) + simultaneous 20 minutes of active tDCS (1.5 mA, 5x5cm anodal electrode on left parieto-temporal regions and 5x5cm cathodal electrode on right parieto-temporal regions). RRT + sham tDCS Rhythmic Reading Training Rhythmic Reading Training, administered for 5 hours over 10 days consecutive (30-minute training sessions per day) + simultaneous 20 minutes of sham tDCS (with the same active tDCS setup, current applied for 30 seconds, RRT + active tDCS Transcranial direct current stimulation Rhythmic Reading Training, administered for 5 hours over 10 days consecutive (30-minute training sessions per day) + simultaneous 20 minutes of active tDCS (1.5 mA, 5x5cm anodal electrode on left parieto-temporal regions and 5x5cm cathodal electrode on right parieto-temporal regions). RRT + sham tDCS Transcranial direct current stimulation Rhythmic Reading Training, administered for 5 hours over 10 days consecutive (30-minute training sessions per day) + simultaneous 20 minutes of sham tDCS (with the same active tDCS setup, current applied for 30 seconds,
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Text reading speed expressed in syllables per seconds 2 weeks The ability to read aloud a text was assessed using the Italian standardized test 'Prova di velocità di lettura di brani' (Zoccolotti, Fondazione S. Lucia), which provides speed and accuracy scores in reading aloud age-normed texts.
Text reading accuracy expressed in number of errors 2 weeks The ability to read aloud a text was assessed using the Italian standardized test 'Prova di velocità di lettura di brani' (Zoccolotti, Fondazione S. Lucia), which provides speed and accuracy scores in reading aloud age-normed texts.
Word reading speed expressed in syllables per seconds 2 weeks The ability to read aloud lists of words was assessed using the following Italian standardized tests: 'Assessment battery for Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography-2' (Batteria per la valutazione della dislessia e disortografia evolutiva - DDE-2), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for word reading (4 lists of 28 words each with different lengths and frequency of use); 'Word and pseudo-word reading test' (WPRT, Prova di lettura di parole e non parole), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for word reading (4 lists of 30 words varying according to length: short vs. long and frequency of use: low vs. high frequency).
Word reading accuracy expressed in number of errors 2 weeks The ability to read aloud lists of words was assessed using the following Italian standardized tests: 'Assessment battery for Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography-2' (Batteria per la valutazione della dislessia e disortografia evolutiva - DDE-2), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for word reading (4 lists of 28 words each with different lengths and frequency of use); 'Word and pseudo-word reading test' (WPRT, Prova di lettura di parole e non parole), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for word reading (4 lists of 30 words varying according to length: short vs. long and frequency of use: low vs. high frequency).
Pseudo-word reading speed expressed in syllables per seconds 2 weeks The ability to read aloud lists of pseudo-words was assessed using the following Italian standardized tests: 'Assessment battery for Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography-2' (Batteria per la valutazione della dislessia e disortografia evolutiva - DDE-2), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for pseudo-word reading (2 lists of 16 pseudo-words each with different lengths); 'Word and pseudo-word reading test' (WPRT, Prova di lettura di parole e non parole), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for pseudo-words reading (2 lists of 30 pseudo-words varying for length: short vs. long).
Pseudo-word reading accuracy expressed in number of errors 2 weeks The ability to read aloud lists of pseudo-words was assessed using the following Italian standardized tests: 'Assessment battery for Developmental Dyslexia and Dysorthography-2' (Batteria per la valutazione della dislessia e disortografia evolutiva - DDE-2), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for pseudo-word reading (2 lists of 16 pseudo-words each with different lengths); 'Word and pseudo-word reading test' (WPRT, Prova di lettura di parole e non parole), in which speed and accuracy scores were computed for pseudo-words reading (2 lists of 30 pseudo-words varying for length: short vs. long).
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Rapid Automatized Naming 2 weeks Rapid Automatized Naming of colours and figures
Verbal Working Memory 2 weeks Onwards and backwards digit span
Rhythm Discrimination 2 weeks Rhythm discrimination task
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
🇮🇹Milan, Italy