Effectiveness of Direct Transcranial Stimulation with Reading Instructions on Dyslexic Children’s Working Memory and Reading Performance: Evidence of Event-Related Potentials

Abstract

This study aims to detect the effectiveness of transcranial direct stimulation with reading instruction on dyslexic children’s working memory and reading performance. The research method is quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test with non-equivalent groups, and is applied in term of purpose. The statistical population consists of all dyslexic students (7–9 years old) referring to Atieh Clinic in Tehran during 2015:7–2015–9 and 2016:6–2016:8, among which 16 students (12 boys and 4 girls) were selected by convenience sampling method. The experimental group received an individualized curriculum plus transcutaneous direct stimulation in the left prefrontal cortex for 10 sessions, while the control group received 10 sessions of simulated transcutaneous stimulation (indoctrination) in the same condition. Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SBIS-5), and Woodcock Johnson academic achievement reading cluster (WJ III) were used for data collection, and the data was analyzed by using SPSS software. The results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the indices including verbal memory, nonverbal memory, memory capacity, reading fluency as well as the error of committing and deleting after receiving transcranial direct stimulation were significantly changed (P>0.001). Accordingly, one can say that the increased excitability of the left prefrontal cortex using transcranial direct stimulation can improve some reading and memory parameters in dyslexic children.

Keywords

• transcranial direct stimulation
• active memory
• reading function
• dyslexic children