Dyslexia and dyscalculia: two learning disorders with different cognitive profiles

J Exp Child Psychol. 2009 Jul;103(3):309-24. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2009.03.006. Epub 2009 Apr 26.

Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis that dyslexia and dyscalculia are associated with two largely independent cognitive deficits, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficit in the number module in the case of dyscalculia. In four groups of 8- to 10-year-olds (42 control, 21 dyslexic, 20 dyscalculic, and 26 dyslexic/dyscalculic), phonological awareness, phonological and visual-spatial short-term and working memory, naming speed, and basic number processing skills were assessed. A phonological deficit was found for both dyslexic groups, irrespective of additional arithmetic deficits, but not for the dyscalculia-only group. In contrast, deficits in processing of symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitudes were observed in both groups of dyscalculic children, irrespective of additional reading difficulties, but not in the dyslexia-only group. Cognitive deficits in the comorbid dyslexia/dyscalculia group were additive; that is, they resulted from the combination of two learning disorders. These findings suggest that dyslexia and dyscalculia have separable cognitive profiles, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficient number module in the case of dyscalculia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Awareness
  • Child
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology*
  • Comorbidity
  • Dyslexia / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language Tests
  • Learning Disabilities / psychology*
  • Male
  • Mathematics*
  • Memory, Short-Term*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Reaction Time
  • Semantics
  • Space Perception
  • Speech Perception
  • Verbal Learning*