Transcranial Electrical Stimulation and the Reading Brain: Toward Novel Interventions for Reading Impairments

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on the brain to enhance learning related to reading. This study focuses on adults with a range of reading abilities and explores how tES, particularly transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), may support learning in developmental dyslexia, a common childhood learning disorder that can persist into adulthood. The study aims to find new treatment techniques beyond standard reading exercises, which often do not fully address the difficulties experienced by individuals with dyslexia. Participants will receive either active tRNS applied to the left superior temporal gyrus using a high-definition electrode setup or a sham stimulation where no electrical current is applied. Both groups perform an artificial orthography learning task, simulating letter-speech sound learning, while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The study includes two sessions: a baseline session and a second session up to eight weeks later. During the study, participants will be assessed using behavioral tests and brain imaging to measure learning performance and brain activity related to reading. The main outcomes include task performance and fMRI activation and connectivity during print processing. Additional cognitive and reading-related measures will also be collected. Participants are involved for up to eight weeks, including brain imaging sessions and stimulation while performing the learning tasks, with safety and brain function monitored throughout.

Enhancing Letter-Speech Sound Learning and Reading Network Activation With Transcranial Electrical Stimulation