Demb JB, Boynton GM, and Heeger DJ, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Early Visual Pathways in Dyslexia, J Neurosci, 18:6939-6951, 1998.
Abstract: We measured brain activity, perceptual thresholds and reading performance in a group of dyslexic and normal readers to test the hypothesis that dyslexia is associated with an abnormality in the magnocellular (M) pathway of the early visual system. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity in conditions designed to preferentially stimulate the M pathway. Speed discrimination thresholds, that measure the minimal increase in stimulus speed that is just noticeable, were acquired in a paradigm modeled after a previous study of M pathway lesioned monkeys. Dyslexics showed reduced brain activity compared to controls both in primary visual cortex (V1) and in several extrastriate areas, including area MT+ that is believed to receive a predominant M pathway input. There was a strong three-way correlation between brain activity, speed discrimination thresholds, and reading speed. Subjects with higher V1 and MT+ responses had lower perceptual thresholds (better performance) and were faster readers. These results support the hypothesis for an M pathway abnormality in dyslexia and imply strong relationships between the integrity of the M pathway, visual motion perception, and reading ability.