TY - JOUR
T1 - Graph Analysis of EEG Functional Connectivity Networks During a Letter-Speech Sound Binding Task in Adult Dyslexics
AU - Fraga-gonzález, Gorka
AU - Smit, Dirk J. A.
AU - Van Der Molen, Melle J. W.
AU - Tijms, Jurgen
AU - Stam, Cornelis J.
AU - Geus, Eco J. C. de
AU - Van Der Molen, Maurits W.
N1 - Funding Information: This project was part of the research program ?Characterization of functional brain network organization in dyslexia and development? funded by the Amsterdam Brain and Mind Project, a UvA-VUA Amsterdam Academic Alliance Initiative (https://www.abmp.eu/). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Fraga-González, Smit, Van der Molen, Tijms, Stam, de Geus and Van der Molen.
PY - 2021/11/19
Y1 - 2021/11/19
N2 - We performed an EEG graph analysis on data from 31 typical readers (22.27 ± 2.53 y/o) and 24 dyslexics (22.99 ± 2.29 y/o), recorded while they were engaged in an audiovisual task and during resting-state. The task simulates reading acquisition as participants learned new letter-sound mappings via feedback. EEG data was filtered for the delta (0.5–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–13 Hz), and beta (13–30 Hz) bands. We computed the Phase Lag Index (PLI) to provide an estimate of the functional connectivity between all pairs of electrodes per band. Then, networks were constructed using a Minimum Spanning Tree (MST), a unique sub-graph connecting all nodes (electrodes) without loops, aimed at minimizing bias in between groups and conditions comparisons. Both groups showed a comparable accuracy increase during task blocks, indicating that they correctly learned the new associations. The EEG results revealed lower task-specific theta connectivity, and lower theta degree correlation over both rest and task recordings, indicating less network integration in dyslexics compared to typical readers. This pattern suggests a role of theta oscillations in dyslexia and may reflect differences in task engagement between the groups, although robust correlations between MST metrics and performance indices were lacking.
AB - We performed an EEG graph analysis on data from 31 typical readers (22.27 ± 2.53 y/o) and 24 dyslexics (22.99 ± 2.29 y/o), recorded while they were engaged in an audiovisual task and during resting-state. The task simulates reading acquisition as participants learned new letter-sound mappings via feedback. EEG data was filtered for the delta (0.5–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–13 Hz), and beta (13–30 Hz) bands. We computed the Phase Lag Index (PLI) to provide an estimate of the functional connectivity between all pairs of electrodes per band. Then, networks were constructed using a Minimum Spanning Tree (MST), a unique sub-graph connecting all nodes (electrodes) without loops, aimed at minimizing bias in between groups and conditions comparisons. Both groups showed a comparable accuracy increase during task blocks, indicating that they correctly learned the new associations. The EEG results revealed lower task-specific theta connectivity, and lower theta degree correlation over both rest and task recordings, indicating less network integration in dyslexics compared to typical readers. This pattern suggests a role of theta oscillations in dyslexia and may reflect differences in task engagement between the groups, although robust correlations between MST metrics and performance indices were lacking.
KW - EEG
KW - dyslexia
KW - letter-speech sound associations
KW - minimum spanning tree (MST)
KW - networks
KW - phase lag index
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120988841&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/67944564/Data_Sheet_1_Graph_Analysis_of_EEG_Functional_Connectivity_Networks_During_a_Letter_Speech_Sound_Binding_Task_in_Adult_Dyslexics.docx
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.767839
DO - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.767839
M3 - Article
C2 - 34899515
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 12
JO - Frontiers in psychology
JF - Frontiers in psychology
M1 - 767839
ER -