LSA Fellows 15 

Project titel: A home-based tACS-supported intervention in Developmental Dyslexia Projectleader: Dr. Katharina Rufener

The efficacy of existing interventions for dyslexia is yet insufficient because. This is because, on the one hand, the neurophysiological deficits of this developmental disorder are not taken into account. On the other hand, the number of interventions and the training frequency are restricted by external factors.

The present project takes these limiting factors into account in that children and adolescents with dyslexia 1) independently work on a phonology-based training over a period of 10 weeks on 4 days a week, while 2) dysfunctional neural activation patterns will by normalized by means of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS).

The computer-guided and child-friendly phonology training is carried out independently at home. A mobile tACS device is provided for the independent tACS application. Due to the high training frequency and the repeated use of tACS, steeper learning curves are expected compared to previous interventions. The innovative, home-based approach of this novel intervention will not only increase the participants complicate significantly, it will furthermore allow access to an adequate intervention also to those DD individuals, which are not able to visit a clinician on a regular basis due to limiting external factors.

However, despite the numerous studies reporting positive effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) on a variety of perceptual and cognitive functions in healthy controls but also in clinical samples, TES is often viewed with skepticism by caregivers and therapists. Therefore, the second goal of the planned project is to establish and evaluate a survey with which I will contact professionals as well as caregivers of DD individuals. Basing on the knowledge gained from this survey, I will derive factors and requirements that can increase the acceptance of this intervention in DD but also in other neurodevelopmental disorders.