DCDC2
Encyclopedia
DCDC2 is a gene
that has been identified with the development of dyslexia
. 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 .
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 allele
s 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.
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
that has been identified with the development of dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
. 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 .
Psychologists at the universities of Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
and Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
analysed blood samples taken from families with dyslexic children, implicating a gene in the short arm of Chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...
6, a region first identified by scientists from the United States of America and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in connection with reading and spelling disabilities. The German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
team identified the gene DCDC2 as a factor in the emergence of dyslexia.
Changes in the DCDC2 gene were frequently found among dyslexics. Altered allele
Allele
An allele is one of two or more forms of a gene or a genetic locus . "Allel" is an abbreviation of allelomorph. Sometimes, different alleles can result in different observable phenotypic traits, such as different pigmentation...
s often occurred among children with reading and writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
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
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
and more effective educational programs to address the unique needs of people with dyslexia.