Studie identifiziert neue genetische Wege im Zusammenhang mit Legasthenie. Es kann mindestens zwei entwicklungsbedingte Ursachen für Leseschwierigkeiten geben: Zum einen hängt es mit dem Aufbau des Gehirns zusammen, zum anderen mit seiner Funktionsweise – ein Prozess, der über Millionen von Jahren andauert.

A University of Houston psychology professor is challenging the notion that dyslexia, or specific reading disorder, stems from a single faulty gene in the brain, suggesting instead that it is caused by an overall brain network vulnerability. The insight reshapes understanding of one of the world’s most common learning disorders, which affects up to 20% of the world’s population — nearly 780 million people who face lifelong challenges with reading.

Using computers and large biology databases, Elena Grigorenko, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Psychology, reviewed four decades of research covering the genetics of specific reading disorder. Her team systematically cataloged candidate genes reportedly associated with dyslexia and reading-related processes and published the findings in Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

“Our findings challenge the notion of the existence of reading-specific genes, suggesting instead that dyslexia reflects the disruption of ancient evolutionary neural mechanisms operating within human-specific brain architecture,” reports Grigorenko.

https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00050