Brain Letterbox Study

How are words represented in the brain? How does the brain’s letterbox develop its specialization for words? Why does it show major differences in dyslexia? What does it say about how people with dyslexia encode words?

Our team at University of California, San Francisco is trying to better understand the neurodevelopment of word representations in the brain. Ultimately, we hope that better qualifying the brain reading’s circuitry in typical readers and readers with dyslexia will help design better approaches to learning to read.

Participant Eligibility

• Adult, or child between 7-12 years old

• With or without dyslexia (diagnosed or suspected)

• Speaks English as a native language

Benefits

• Receive a neuropsychological report

• Receive a brain picture

• Financial compensation ($50 per participant)

What will I/my child do?

• Confirm eligibility and participation over the phone

• Participate in a 1-hour online session of neuropsychological assessments

• Come to UCSF Mission Bay Campus for an interactive and non-invasive MRI scan (a safe brain imaging method; no X-ray/radiation or blood draw)