Neurovisual training (TRIGRAM) in young patients with visual-perceptive dyslexia

Abstract

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Although this condition is characterized by anatomical malformation of the brain,it seems that the typical reading pattern of dyslexic may be also related to more complex sensory deficits. Among them, visualperceptivedeficits have been described in a subtype of dyslexia, called visual-perceptive The distinctive feature of a patientsuffering from visual-perceptive dyslexia form is marked by effortlessly recognize the characteristics of each individual stimulus.The Tetra protocol is a visual-perceptual evaluation protocol that was introduced for the diagnostic phase and the rehabilitation ofvisual-perceptive The diagnostic tests include: the eidomorphometry test, designed to evaluate the perception of spatialrelationships; the contrast sensitivity threshold test, especially at low spatial frequencies; and the REPORT TEST words, to assess thespeed and the reading efficiency. In addition, the rehabilitation phase is carried out with the neuro-enhancement programTRIGRAM, a training proposal designed to reduce the lateral masking phenomenon in visual-perceptive dyslexic.Thus, in this study we used the diagnostic tests of TETRA® Protocol to determine presence of visual-perceptual abnormalities inchildren with Proven time the presence of these visual-perceptual alterations, the patients were also subjected to therehabilitation sessions of TRIGRAM, in order to investigate whether this training may improve the pattern of reading. At theend of the program (t1) and after three months (t2), the same subjects underwent the same diagnostic tests of TETRA® Protocol toevaluate and confirm the results obtained during rehabilitation program.The results showed a significant increase in contrast sensitivity at low and high spatial frequencies. Moreover, the sameimprovements in the system's ability to discriminate the contours of an object within the field of view, have been maintainedthree months after the end of treatment. We also observed a significant improvement in the perception of spatial relationships, withreduction of SRA value.In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the rehabilitation training (TRIGRAM) is able to improve the perception ofspatial relationships, and increase contrast sensitivity in young patients affected by visual dyslexia. Nonetheless, these data need tobe confirmed in larger cohort of subjects in order to establish whether these effects can also increase lexical ability (increased readingspeed and reduce errors during the lexical task).