Cortical responses to word reading by right-and left-eared normal and reading-disturbed Children

Abstract

There is behavioral evidence that children showing left ear dominance (LED) generate hemispheric reading strategies which are different from those who show right ear dominance (RED) subsequent to dichotic verbal stimulation. Electrophysiological evidence of this was sought in the present investigation. Normal and reading-disturbed children were required to read monosyllabic words that were flashed at the point of fixation. Event-related potentials (ERP) were analysed in relation to reading level (normal vs disturbed readers), ear dominance (LED vs RED), and side of diversion (left temporal vs right temporal and left parietal vs right parietal). Significant interactions were found for P310 and N440 amplitudes and latencies, indicating that normal and reading-disturbed LED and RED children generate different reading strategies.