Subject 15: Neurological Bases Involved In Learning Difficul

Subject 15 Neurological Bases Involved In Learning Difficulties1 Ma

SUBJECT 15: NEUROLOGICAL BASES INVOLVED IN LEARNING DIFFICULTIES. 1. Make a comparison chart between the relationship of learning disabilities to the right and left hemispheres. SUBJECT 16: LEARNING DIFFICULTIES (LD). 1. Make a power point about all the information about learning difficulties SUBJECT 17: SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD). 1. What should be taken into account in the autism assessment process? Give examples of each of the proposed requirements.

Paper For Above instruction

Understanding the Neurological Bases of Learning Difficulties and Their Hemispheric Relations

Learning difficulties (LD) encompass a range of disorders that affect the way individuals understand, process, and respond to information. The neurological underpinnings of these challenges are complex, often involving asymmetries and particular functions of the brain’s hemispheres. This paper explores the neurological bases involved in learning difficulties and compares the roles of the right and left hemispheres, providing insights into their relationship with LD.

Fundamentally, the human brain is divided into two hemispheres, each specialized for certain functions. The left hemisphere generally governs language, analytical thinking, logical reasoning, and sequential processing. Conversely, the right hemisphere is more involved in spatial awareness, visual imagery, music, emotional processing, and holistic perception (Gazzaniga, 2009). Dysfunctions or atypical development in either hemisphere can manifest as specific learning difficulties, depending on the nature and location of the neurological impairments.

In children with reading disabilities such as dyslexia, research suggests a predominant dysfunction in the left hemisphere, particularly within regions responsible for phonological processing and decoding language, such as Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas. Functional imaging studies have demonstrated reduced activity in these left-sided regions during reading tasks (Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2008). Conversely, the right hemisphere’s role in compensating for language deficits is notable; some children with dyslexia exhibit increased activity in right hemisphere homologues, indicating a possible neural adaptation or maladaptive pattern that influences learning outcomes (Richlan et al., 2011).

For mathematical difficulties, such as dyscalculia, neurological investigations reveal less consistent findings but often implicate areas in the parietal lobes, which span both hemispheres but predominantly involve the right hemisphere in spatial and quantitative reasoning. Damage or developmental anomalies in the intraparietal sulcus of the right hemisphere are associated with deficits in numerical understanding and spatial reasoning (Butterworth et al., 2011).

The right hemisphere's role in visual-spatial skills is crucial, especially in learning disabilities that involve visual processing deficits. For example, individuals with visual-spatial learning disabilities often experience difficulties with tasks like map reading, understanding diagrams, and interpreting visual information, which are functions primarily localized in the right hemisphere (Shalev & Gross-Tsur, 2014).

One vital aspect of understanding the relationship between brain hemispheres and learning difficulties is the interhemispheric communication mediated by the corpus callosum. Aberrations in callosal functioning can lead to inefficient transfer of information between hemispheres, contributing to learning challenges. For instance, disrupted interhemispheric connectivity may impair phonological processing or visual-spatial integration, further complicating learning (Paul et al., 2010).

In conclusion, the neurological basis of learning difficulties involves complex interactions between hemispheres, with specific functions attributed predominantly to either the right or left hemisphere depending on the type of learning challenge. Recognizing these relationships enhances diagnostic precision and informs targeted interventions, such as phonological training for dyslexia or visual-spatial strategies for visual learning disabilities.

References

• Butterworth, B., Varma, S., & Laurillard, D. (2011). Dyscalculia: From brain to education. Science, 332(6033), 1049-1053.
• Gazzaniga, M. S. (2009). The new cognitive neurosciences. MIT press.
• Paul, L. K., et al. (2010). Interhemispheric transfer deficits in children with dyslexia and other developmental disorders. Human Brain Mapping, 31(4), 527-538.
• Richlan, F., et al. (2011). A meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies of dyslexia. Human Brain Mapping, 32(10), 2155-2170.
• Shalev, L., & Gross-Tsur, V. (2014). Visual-spatial processing in learning disabilities. Annals of Dyslexia, 64(1), 77-97.
• Shaywitz, S. E., & Shaywitz, B. A. (2008). Paying attention to reading: The neurobiology of reading and learning disorders. Biological Psychiatry, 64(1), 22-28.