Dyslexia's DNA Clue: Gene takes stage in learning disorder

Science News Online ^ | August 30, 2003 | Bruce Bower

[bd476]

For the first time, scientists have identified a gene that appears to influence the development of at least some cases of dyslexia.

This learning disorder is characterized by difficulties in perceiving sounds within words, spelling and reading problems, and troubles with written and oral expression. It's estimated that dyslexia affects at least 1 in 25 people. Although scientists are investigating dyslexia's suspected neural roots (SN: 5/24/03, p. 324: http://www.sciencenews.org/20030524/fob4.asp), the condition's causes remain unknown.

If confirmed in further studies, the new genetic finding represents a major step forward for dyslexia researchers. Until now, investigators have only been able to link dyslexia to alterations along stretches of DNA containing tens or hundreds of genes. The most prominent of these genetic segments are located on chromosomes 6 and 15.

A team led by geneticist Juha Kere of the Karolinska Institute in Huddinge, Sweden, narrowed the search to a gene called DYXC1 on chromosome 15. Two disruptions of this gene substantially raise the odds of developing dyslexia, the scientists report in an upcoming Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[bd476]

The scientists acknowledged that while there are other genes involved in the manifestation of dyslexia, discovering this particular gene's role in predicting dyslexia in some patients marks this study's results as a positive step in dyslexia research.

[WOSG]

Now, does that gene start with AGACTA or ATCAGA ... I keep forgetting. :-)

[keats5]

My son was diagnosed with dyslexia years ago, when he was little. Today he's still dyslexic, but after working very hard, he has learned to read at his grade level.

He seems to fit the steriotype of the "gifted dyslexic", like Thomas Edison. He's remarkably in tune with everything. Now that he's a teen, he gets better grades than most kids. He seems to notice and understand a lot of stuff long before other people, and has a kind of intuitive intellegence. We sometimes call him "Radar O'Reilly". His first teacher called him "Hawkeye", and his science teacher told me he he never saw a kid comprehend science like my son.

Do other freepers have dyslexic kids with these "abilities"? I'd love to know.

I'd hate for our researchers to someday be able to "cure" dyslexia, if it would change these other attributes.

[gracie1]

My younger son has a form of dyslexia. It took until the 4th grade to get it diagnosed because they kept passing the buck year after year. Finally he got a young idealistic teacher who took my exasperated pleas seriously. He can read pretty good now (he's 16) and enjoys John Grishom novels and Earnest Hemingway. He also likes "deep" reading like Huxley and such.

His learning style has always been auditory. He only has to hear something onnce and he not only remembers it, but he understands it. I have a dish, and we usually have educational shows on TV. Many times I would hear from his teachers that he already knew about a concept when they would start talking about it in class.

He still has serious problems with spelling though. That is not suprising becaus I have always had a major problem with it my self. (Badde spelurs of the wrold unit!)

[Erasmus]

Dylsexics fo teh wordl, untie!

[livius]

Don't worry about it. Kids often grow out of dyslexia as they mature, and in the case of those who don't, they learn to compensate.

My daughter was dyslexic and mildly aphasic - she was your typical left-handed dyslexic-aphasic - and teachers made her life miserable because they knew she was smart and thought that she was reversing the word-order in her sentence or reading the word backwards because she was being obnoxious. Even though she was a very polite child, one teacher even slapped her (and the same thing had happened to my brother, who was also extremely intelligent but dyslexic).

By the time she was 13, she was reading college level stuff, and she read morning, noon and night. She's doing just fine now, is a police officer, and is finishing college. Overall, the biggest problem she had was not the dyslexia/aphasia itself, but the school's response to it.

So keep on working with your kids and don't get too stressed, because in most cases, this is pretty much a self-correcting condition. But keep an eye on their teachers and what's going on in the classroom.

[jennyp]

Do other freepers have dyslexic kids with these "abilities"? I'd love to know.

I'd hate for our researchers to someday be able to "cure" dyslexia, if it would change these other attributes.

Here's a fascinating article on the positive side-effects of dyslexia. (Sometimes "positive" vs. "harmful" mutation is in the eye of the beholder.)

[ellery]

ttttb

[bd476]

"Now, does that gene start with AGACTA or ATCAGA ... I keep forgetting. :-)"

Well, from the sound of it, you may be forgetting more than I've learned. Let me check with Watson and Crick. ;-)

[PurVirgo]

Wow!! I enjoyed that article! I have always suspected that what normal folks percieve as disability is usually in their eyes only. A lady I know has a Down's syndrome child. Granted, he will never be able to take care of himself, but he has taught us so much about unconditional love, and keeping things simple.

As for dyslexia, I am curious - my mom grew up in a culture that forced her to become right-handed, and as a result, she is a little (ok a lot) dyslexic. I would guess that her mathematic abilities have compensated for it...

Anyone know about induced dyslexia?

[vollmond]

I believe that some dyslexia symptoms are really just normal human behavior/learning techniques. For example, does a dyslexic Arabic child write from left to right or right to left?

Also, I can see how a child with the potential for genius could display learning disabilities at an early age. If it's a matter of brain chemistry or composition being more complicated and allowing for increased processing speed, it could take longer to learn how to utilize brain pathways efficiently.

[keats5]

Thank's for the article. I knew about the Davis Institute, but this "bite sized" article is great to share with educators and other parents.