Presented at the Annual Network Conference

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CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC

NETWORK UPDATE Theme I BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
UNDERLYING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE AND
LITERACY SKILLS

Partager la science. Éveiller les esprits. ?
sharing the science. opening minds.
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CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
NETWORK UPDATE Theme I BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
UNDERLYING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE AND
LITERACY SKILLS


What have these characters been up to recently?
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CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy The
Scope of Research Within CLLRNet Robert V.
Harrison, Theme I Leader, CLLRNet
Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
Theme II Sensory Processes and Environment
Theme III Language
Theme IV Literacy
Theme I Biological Factors
Theme V Social, Economic
OUTREACH EDUCATION (MAKING THINGS HAPPEN) With
the help of our PARTNERS
Identification and improved diagnosis
Promoting early childhood health/education
Improving literacy
Understanding brain development
Evidence based therapy
4
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy
THEME I PROJECTS
Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
Three projects concerned with the basic
organization and development of the neural
pathways associated with hearing, speech
understanding, and language development
Theme I Biological Factors
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy
THEME I PROJECTS
Projects concerned with the basic organization
and development of the neural pathways associated
with hearing, speech understanding, and language
development
Development of Neural Projections for Sound
Frequency Representation in the Central Auditory
System. Bob Harrison and colleagues, Hospital for
Sick Children, U. Toronto Effect of Noise
Trauma in Early Age on Cortical Coding of
Speech Jos Eggermont and colleagues, University
of Calgary Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Investigation of Neurodevelopment in
Children Christian Beaulieu and colleagues,
University of Edmonton
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy
THEME I PROJECTS
Development of Neural Projections for Sound
Frequency Representation in the Central Auditory
System. Bob Harrison, Richard Mount, Martin
Pienkowski The Hospital for Sick Children,
University of Toronto
Language, and literacy skills develop in children
based on the proper function of the senses of
hearing and vision, as well as a range of
higher-level brain processing mechanisms. Brain
cell (neuron) activity, or rather the collected
activity of arrays of neurons, form the
fundamental building blocks of the very complex
brain functions required for language and reading
skills. This project concerns the development
and function of these arrays of neurons,
particularly those concerned with hearing.
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
How does this cortical frequency map develop
post-natally?
Basic tonotopic projections established at birth
in humans
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
What does change post-natally, under the
influence of environmental stimuli?
Neural response complexity
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy
THEME I PROJECTS
Effect of Noise Trauma in Early Age on Cortical
Coding of Speech Jos Eggermont and colleagues,
University of Calgary
Children are more and more exposed to
environmental and recreational noise and may
suffer mild to moderate hearing loss. Will
acoustic over-stimulation, at very young age,
cause extensive cortical reorganization? Animal
model experiments show topographic map changes
after mild-to-moderate noise trauma, and well as
in spontaneous neural activity immediately after
an acoustic trauma.
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Investigation of
Neurodevelopment in Children Christian Beaulieu,
Linda Phillips and colleagues, University of
Alberta, Edmonton
There is growing evidence that reading
difficulties may have a neurological abnormality
at its source. Study changes in anatomical
connections within the brain that might be linked
with language and literacy development in
children. To determine whether children who are
poor readers show significantly lower development
in "wiring" within certain regions of the brain
compared to normal children.
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CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy
THEME I PROJECTS
Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
Two projects which directly link biological
events, i.e. neural activity patterns, with
language and literacy behaviour
Theme I Biological Factors

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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
Two projects which directly link biological
events, i.e. neural activity patterns, with
language and literacy behaviour
Evoked Potential Correlates of Temporal Auditory
Processing Disorders and Developmental Language
Delay in School-aged Children Jos Eggermont,
University of Calgary, Dennis Phillips,
Dalhousie University, and colleagues
Using Neuroimaging Methods to Elucidate
Mechanisms of Speech Processing and Reading in
Healthy and Dyslexic Populations John Connolly,
and colleagues, Dalhousie University
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
Evoked Potential Correlates of Temporal Auditory
Processing Disorders and Developmental Language
Delay in School-aged Children Jos Eggermont,
University of Calgary, Dennis Phillips, Dalhousie
University, and colleagues
Central auditory processing problems in children
are linked to developmental language delay. An
electrophysiological investigation into children
with these disorders Delays in evoked potential
maturation may underlie auditory processing
disorders and any attendant developmental
language delays. The knowledge gained from this
study will be used ultimately to improve both
identification and rehabilitation techniques for
the language and literacy skills of Canadian
children.
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
Using Neuroimaging Methods to Elucidate
Mechanisms of Speech Processing and Reading in
Healthy and Dyslexic Populations John Connolly,
Pat Cleave, Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird, Elizabet
Service, Dalhousie University
Remedial interventions change both neural and
behavioural signs of inefficient reading the
brain changes precede the behavioural
indicators Neuroimaging methods offer unique
insights into reading and speech comprehension
problems. For example, both adults and children
with reading problems exhibit very similar
neurophysiological processing abnormalities.
Neuroimaging (e.g. ERPs) used to monitor the
manner in which remedial interventions exert
their beneficial effects on behaviour through the
alteration of brain mechanisms.
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CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy
THEME I PROJECTS
Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
One project linking across the whole
developmental spectrum from genes, to behaviour
associated with literacy
Theme I Biological Factors
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
Project linking across the whole developmental
spectrum from genes, to behaviour associated with
literacy
Rapid Naming and its Contribution to Reading
Ability Cognitive Neuroscience and
Genetics Ray Klein, Dalhousie University, Karen
Arnell, Brock University, Cathy Barr, The
Hospital for Sick Children, Marc Joanisse, The
University of Western Ontario, Rosemary Tannock,
The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
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Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
Rapid Naming and its Contribution to Reading
Ability Cognitive Neuroscience and Genetics
Many children with developmental dyslexia perform
relatively poorly when asked to rapidly name
colors, shapes, letters and digits. The Rapid
Automatized Naming test (RAN) appears to predict
literacy, and performance may also be linked to
specific genes. May link those component mental
processes important in reading and learning to
certain genes.
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CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy The
Scope of Research Within CLLRNet Robert V.
Harrison, Theme I Leader, CLLRNet
Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
Theme II Sensory Processes and Environment
Theme III Language
Theme IV Literacy
Theme I Biological Factors
Theme V Social, Economic
OUTREACH EDUCATION (MAKING THINGS HAPPEN) With
the help of our PARTNERS
Identification and improved diagnosis
Promoting early childhood health/education
Improving literacy
Understanding brain development
Evidence based therapy
19
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
The Psycho-biology of Language and Literacy The
Scope of Research Within CLLRNet Robert V.
Harrison, Theme I Leader, CLLRNet
Presented at the Annual Network Conference June
16-19 2004, Montreal, QC
Theme II Sensory Processes and Environment
Theme III Language
Theme IV Literacy
Theme I Biological Factors
Theme V Social, Economic
OUTREACH EDUCATION (MAKING THINGS HAPPEN) With
the help of our PARTNERS
Identification and improved diagnosis
Promoting early childhood health/education
Improving literacy
Understanding brain development
Evidence based therapy
20
CANADIAN LANGUAGE LITERACY RESEARCH NETWORK
NETWORK UPDATE Theme I BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
UNDERLYING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE AND
LITERACY SKILLS


SPECIAL SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE If you see any of
these people, BUY them a BEER