Brain imaging for kids with reading and math difficulties
Neuroimaging
Using brain scans to look at how children aged 10–16 who struggle with reading or math use attention and control networks during reading, math, and focus tasks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145877 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would come to the University of Colorado and have functional brain scans while doing three short tasks: reading, math, and an attention/control task. The team plans to enroll about 160 young people (ages 10–16) who are likely to have reading and/or math difficulties and combine your data with previously collected scans. Researchers will compare connections between control regions in the prefrontal cortex and brain areas tied to reading (left temporo-parietal) and math (right intraparietal sulcus). The goal is to see whether differences in brain wiring related to executive control help explain learning challenges.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and adolescents around 10 to 16 years old who have ongoing difficulties with reading and/or math are the best match for this project.
Not a fit: Children without reading or math problems, adults, or those whose learning issues are clearly caused by other factors (for example severe sensory loss or a major neurological disorder) are unlikely to match this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help tailor educational or therapeutic approaches by identifying brain networks linked to reading and math struggles.
How similar studies have performed: Previous brain-imaging studies have found differences in reading and math disorders, but linking prefrontal control networks to both domains in the same youth sample is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boulder, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado — Boulder, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Banich, Marie T — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Banich, Marie T
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.