DCDC2

DCDC2 is a gene that has been identified with the development of dyslexia ^[1] . Precisely how it contributes to the disorder remains unclear. It is thought that the gene may affect the migration of nerve cells in the brain as it develops^{[citation needed]} .

Psychologists at the universities of Marburg and Würzburg analysed blood samples taken from families with dyslexic children, implicating a gene in the short arm of Chromosome 6, a region first identified by scientists from the United States of America and England in connection with reading and spelling disabilities. The German-Swedish team identified the gene DCDC2 as a factor in the emergence of dyslexia.

Changes in the DCDC2 gene were frequently found among dyslexics. Altered alleles often occurred among children with reading and writing difficulties. The gene appears to have a strong linkage with the processing of speech information when writing. Locating this gene may provide researchers with part of the reason why dyslexia occurs. The discovery of the gene and its function may lead to early and more accurate diagnoses and more effective educational programs to address the unique needs of people with dyslexia.

References

1. ^ Lind PA, Luciano M, Wright MJ, Montgomery GW, Martin NG, Bates TC. (2009). "Dyslexia and DCDC2: normal variation in reading and spelling is associated with DCDC2 polymorphisms in an Australian population sample.". European Journal of Human Genetics 18 (6): 668–673. doi:10.1038/ejhg.2009.237. PMC 2987340. PMID 20068590. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2987340. 

External links

• 'DCDC2' Gene Associated With Dyslexia