Current perspectives on the cerebellum and reading development. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alvarez, Travis A.; Fiez, Julie A.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 92(2018)
• Page Start: 55
• Page End: 66
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Cerebellar deficit hypothesis -- Reading development -- Network -- Decoding -- Phonological -- Semantic; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.05.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Current literature offers compelling evidence of cerebellar engagement in reading. Meta-analytic approach identified a cerebro-cerebellar dorsal and ventral circuit. Circuits characterized by specific attributes associated with reading development. Cerebellum indirectly supports the development of fluent visual word recognition. Abstract: The dominant neural models of typical and atypical reading focus on the cerebral cortex. However, Nicolson et al. (2001) proposed a model, the cerebellar deficit hypothesis, in which the cerebellum plays an important role in reading. To evaluate the evidence in support of this model, we qualitatively review the current literature and employ meta-analytic tools examining patterns of functional connectivity between the cerebellum and the cerebral reading network. We find evidence for a phonological circuit with connectivity between the cerebellum and a dorsal fronto-parietal pathway, and a semantic circuit with cerebellar connectivity to a ventral fronto-temporal pathway. Furthermore, both cerebral pathways have functional connections with the mid-fusiform gyrus, a region implicated in orthographic processing. Consideration of these circuits within the context of the current literature suggests the cerebellum is positioned to influence both phonological and word-based decoding procedures for recognizing unfamiliar printed words. Overall, multiple lines of research provide support for the cerebellar deficit hypothesis, while also highlighting the need for further research to test mechanistic hypotheses.