Dyslexia

Researchers are evaluating a new tablet game-based tool designed to assess neurodevelopment in young children aged 3 to 8 years. The study aims to determine if this game can accurately distinguish children's neurodevelopmental status and validate its effectiveness. It includes children who are typically developing as well as those diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Specific Learning Disorder, or Communication Disorder. Participants will complete the tablet game-based assessment, which evaluates various neuropsychological functions including attention, memory, language, motor skills, executive functions, and social-emotional abilities. Parents or caregivers will fill out a demographic questionnaire and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3), which measures the child's development. Some children will be retested with the tablet game about two weeks after the initial assessment to check the tool's reliability. During the study, children’s game performance and parent questionnaires will be collected and analyzed. Researchers will assess the diagnostic accuracy, construct validity, internal consistency, and predictive validity of the tablet game-based assessment over a 16-month period. The study requires parents and children to have basic English skills to complete the questionnaires and game tasks successfully.

Children aged 4 to 6 years with congenital heart disease (CHD) often face attention deficits and related neurodevelopmental challenges. This research is assessing the feasibility of a future larger trial testing a parent-child yoga program aimed at reducing attention problems in these children. The study focuses on recruitment, retention, adherence, acceptability of randomization, and consistency of intervention delivery, to prepare for a full randomized controlled trial (RCT). The study involves 24 parent-child pairs recruited from two centers, randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to either an 8-week parent-child yoga intervention plus standard care or standard care alone with a waitlist option for yoga after study completion. The yoga sessions are 45 minutes long, structured with active and calming parts embedded in stories suited for young children, along with home exercises practiced at least three times a week. The intervention totals at least 60 minutes of yoga per week, with encouragement to continue home exercises up to a 6-month follow-up. Participants undergo three neurodevelopmental assessments: before randomization, immediately after the intervention, and six months later. Researchers will monitor recruitment rates, dropout and withdrawal, adherence, and data completeness. They will also evaluate variation in intervention delivery and acceptability of randomization. These measures will help determine the appropriate sample size and refine procedures for the future full-scale trial.

Researchers are studying a group of infants to explore how allergies might cause neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and learning disabilities (LD). This study follows infants from birth to understand the early life factors that influence these developmental conditions, using DSM-5 criteria for diagnosis. Infants are divided into two groups based on allergy status: an allergic group and a control group without allergies. These infants will be followed for up to six years, during which researchers will collect and store samples such as blood, urine, and feces. Regular measurements including height, weight, and developmental assessments like the GESELL test will also be conducted throughout the follow-up period. Participants will undergo ongoing evaluations to track developmental outcomes, focusing on diagnoses of ASD, ADHD, or LD. The study involves frequent specimen collection and developmental testing to monitor growth and neurodevelopmental progress. Follow-up spans several years to capture long-term health and developmental changes in these children.

Researchers are evaluating two behavioral treatments for acquired dyslexia following a left hemisphere stroke. This early phase 1, low-risk, multicenter trial uses a computational cognitive model of reading to simulate acquired dyslexia and predict the most advantageous treatment. The goal is to compare the effects of phonomotor treatment (PMT) and semantic feature analysis (SFA) to see which is more beneficial for improving reading skills in stroke survivors. The study involves two full rounds of treatment for all participants. Each round consists of either PMT or SFA for a total of 60 hours, delivered over 5 days a week at 2 hours per day. PMT focuses on training phonemes in spoken and written language using multi-sensory methods without showing pictures or definitions. SFA encourages retrieval of words by discussing semantic features of written nouns, using pictures as cues and exploring six categories of word features until the noun is read correctly three times consecutively. Participants will be assessed using the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test - III at baseline, after the first 60 hours of therapy, and after the final 60 hours of therapy. The study measures improvements in reading words and pseudowords to evaluate treatment effectiveness. Participants must undergo brain imaging and meet specific language and sensory criteria. The study lasts through both treatment rounds with regular monitoring of reading progress and response to therapy.

Researchers are developing an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system designed to provide personalized communication devices for individuals with severe motor impairments. This system aims to automatically learn and adapt to a user's physical abilities by creating a customized keyboard interface that includes letters, numbers, symbols, emojis, and word completion options. The goal is to improve communication for people who require alternative methods due to conditions such as spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, locked-in syndrome, and other severe motor disorders. The study compares two AAC devices: an experimental system featuring two wearable sensors for movement and muscle activity control integrated with an adaptive keyboard, and a generic AAC device similar to those used in daily communication needs, such as eye-tracking devices with standard keyboards. The experimental device's hardware supports access from multiple body points, while software automates creating an expanded and personalized interface. This Phase II study focuses on testing communication performance between these devices. Participants will undergo approximately 1 to 2-hour testing sessions across at least five occasions during the study, using the AAC systems. Researchers will assess usability, communication effectiveness, user satisfaction with wearable technology, cognitive workload, and information transfer rate over one year. Evaluations include questionnaires, performance measurements, and monitoring of muscle activity and movement control. The study ensures safety and usability among individuals with severe motor impairments, aiming to deliver an efficient and intuitive communication solution.

Antipsychotic drugs can cause changes in gene activity in blood cells before blood chemistry changes appear. This pilot study explores the gene activity profiles in children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 who are treated with antipsychotics and have metabolic disorders. It compares these profiles with those of similar patients who either use antipsychotics without metabolic disorders or have metabolic disorders but do not use antipsychotics. The goal is to identify transcript patterns that might serve as early markers to predict metabolic risks from antipsychotic treatment, helping to personalize therapy and reduce side effects. Participants are grouped into three categories: those using antipsychotics with metabolic disorders, those using antipsychotics without metabolic disorders, and those with metabolic disorders who do not use antipsychotics. The study involves a transcriptomic investigation, which analyzes gene activity in blood cells and classifies the findings based on biological function. Antipsychotic use is defined as daily use for at least three months before joining the study. Metabolic disorders are identified by criteria such as elevated body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, triglycerides, or low cholesterol. During the study, participants will have their gene activity measured once at recruitment alongside body mass index adjusted for age, sex, and height (BMI-Z). Researchers will collect blood samples to perform the transcriptomic analysis and assess metabolic status. This information will help evaluate differences between the groups and investigate potential early biomarkers for metabolic side effects related to antipsychotic use. The study aims to improve treatment management for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders and irritability.

Researchers are investigating how the vestibular system, which helps control balance and spatial orientation, is involved in the cognitive and motor development of school-aged children. This study aims to develop a sensitive and specific test protocol to detect vestibular, cognitive, and motor dysfunctions in children. It also explores whether vestibular dysfunction, with or without hearing issues, affects motor and cognitive skills, and whether children with neurodevelopmental disorders may have an underlying vestibular problem. The study uses the Balanced Growth Protocol, which includes audiovestibular testing alongside motor and cognitive tasks. These assessments measure vestibular function through tests like the video Head Impulse Test, rotatory chair, caloric test, cVEMP, and oVEMP. Motor skills are evaluated using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children and other coordination tests, while cognitive abilities are assessed with tasks such as spatial span, digit span, emotion recognition, attention, inhibition, executive function questionnaires, and visuo-motor integration. Participants undergo two main assessment sessions: a motor/vestibular appointment and a cognitive appointment. During these visits, various tests are conducted, each lasting from 5 to 20 minutes. Researchers measure outcomes related to vestibular function, motor coordination, cognitive performance, and executive functions. Parent questionnaires are also included. The total evaluation provides a comprehensive view of the child's development and vestibular system involvement in motor and cognitive abilities.

In France, many school-aged children experience mental health disorders, with half of these conditions appearing before age 14. Strong social cognition skills are recognized as protective factors against some of these disorders, yet these skills are often overlooked in clinical evaluations due to a lack of validated tools for children. This research focuses on better understanding social cognition in children and adolescents, especially those with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. The study uses a multidimensional social cognition battery developed by the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital. This battery assesses four key areas: emotion processing, social perception, theory of mind, and attributional style. Participants complete this battery along with additional tasks evaluating social cognition and executive functions. Parents also fill out related questionnaires. Children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 will be recruited during their diagnostic or follow-up visits at the hospital's psychiatry department. Participants will undergo assessments including the social cognition battery, supplementary cognitive tasks, and parent questionnaires. The main outcome measured is the overall social cognition score and scores in each dimension from the battery, helping to better characterize social cognition profiles in this population.

Researchers are investigating the effects of speech-language treatments tailored for bilingual individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), a condition where speech and language difficulties are the earliest and most noticeable symptoms. This stage 2 clinical trial aims to understand how bilingual experience, such as language use frequency and proficiency, influences treatment outcomes. The study also explores neural mechanisms behind language relearning and how bilingualism contributes to cognitive reserve and linguistic resilience in PPA. Participants with different variants of PPA will receive one of two speech-language interventions delivered via teletherapy. Those with nonfluent/agrammatic PPA or a nonfluent profile will engage in Video-Implemented Script Training for Aphasia (VISTA), practicing personalized scripts with clinician support and independent computer-based practice. Participants with logopenic or semantic variants or an anomic profile will receive Lexical Retrieval Training (LRT), focusing on word retrieval strategies with similar teletherapy and independent practice schedules. Both interventions involve two weekly one-hour clinician sessions and 30 minutes of computer practice 5 to 7 times per week. The study will assess participants before treatment, after treatment at 4.5 and 9 weeks from onset, and during follow-ups at 6 months and 1 year post-treatment. Assessments include measuring the accuracy of spoken words and naming of trained and untrained items in both languages. When possible, brain scans will be performed before treatment to identify brain regions related to bilingualism and treatment response. Additionally, 30 bilingual individuals with PPA will undergo behavioral testing without intervention to provide comparison data.

Researchers are evaluating a new combined approach to treat reading disorders after stroke by using exercise training alongside targeted reading therapy. The study focuses on individuals with chronic left-hemisphere stroke who have reading deficits due to aphasia, a condition that limits communication and independence. This randomized controlled trial aims to improve reading and language skills by increasing brain blood flow and strengthening damaged neural networks involved in reading. Participants will receive 40 sessions of a targeted reading therapy called Phono-Motor Therapy (PMT), which involves exercises to improve awareness of sounds and letter patterns using real and nonword letter strings. Along with PMT, participants will either engage in 20 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise on a stationary bike or perform light stretching exercises. The study includes three MRI scans to monitor brain changes before treatment, after the first exercise session, and after completing all treatment sessions. During the study, participants will complete various behavioral tests and brain imaging assessments to measure improvements in reading aloud, reading comprehension, brain blood flow, and brain connectivity. These evaluations take place before treatment and within two weeks after finishing the treatment, around 10 weeks from the start. The study also tracks participants' brain responses during tasks and monitors safety and progress throughout the trial.