ReadTwin - Cognitive and brain studies of dyslexia in concordant and discordant twin pairs

Approximately one person out of ten experiences problems in fluent reading. The causes of reading problems, or developmental dyslexia, are still poorly understood. Twin studies could shed more light on underlying mechanisms that lead to dyslexia. In this study identical twins are measures in MEG and asked to complete a set of extensive cognitive tests. Some of the twins are reading at a typical level while some twins have reading problems (concordant twin pairs). A third group of twins has one sibling who is reading at a typical level and one is experiencing problems in reading (discordant twin pair).

The purpose of this project is to examine which cognitive processes and neural level processes are different in the discordant twin pairs compared to the concordant pairs. This will provide unique information on the cognitive make-up of dyslexia. During the MEG resting state activity will be measured as well as activity related to word and more general visual processing.

Project team

• Academy Research Fellow Minna Torppa, Department of Teacher Education
• University researcher Jarmo Hämäläinen, Department of psychology, Jyväskylä Centre for Interdisciplinary Brain Research
• Research director Tiina Parviainen, Department of psychology, Jyväskylä Centre for Interdisciplinary Brain Research