Study finds dozens of quirks in DNA that may explain dyslexia

25/10/2022

Dyslexic? Blame your genes! First study finds dozens of quirks in DNA that may explain why you struggle to spell

Edinburgh experts have found 42 genetic variants that may be linked to dyslexia
About 1 in 10 Britons are dyslexic suffering problems with reading and writing
Scientists used genetic data rom 50,000 dyslexics and 1million non-dyslexics

Dozens of genes thought to cause dyslexia have been uncovered by scientists.

The learning difficulty, which causes sufferers to frequently spell and read words wrong, is known to run in families.

But, until now, experts weren’t entirely clear on which genes were responsible.

The findings, from the largest study of its kind, could one day lead to DNA tests that flag up dyslexics.

Edinburgh University researchers analysed the DNA of more than one million adults, including 50,000 dyslexics.

It’s estimated as many as one in 10 Brits and in one in five Americans have dyslexia. Some sufferers hide their condition out of embarrassment.

Celebrities and historical figures affected include Orlando Bloom, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Branson.

Scientists have found 42 genes that may be linked to dyslexia, a common learning difficulty that causes problems with reading and writing correctly

Ex-health secretary Matt Hancock (pictured earlier this month) hid his dyslexia for decades out of embarrassment. He is currently pushing all children to be screened fot

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver spoke this month about his own battle with dyslexia and the stress it caused him in school

The study allowed experts to hone in on 42 genes that nay be responsible for the condition.

About a third of the genes have been previously linked to general cognitive ability and educational success.

Some are also linked with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ambidexterity, the ability to use both hands equally well rather than favouring the right or the left.

Many, however, are new discoveries.

Lead researcher Dr Michelle Luciano, an expert in language sciences said the study sheds light on many unanswered questions around dyslexia.

‘Our findings show common genetic differences have very similar effects in boys and girls, and there is a genetic link between dyslexia and ambidexterity,’ she said.

‘Our results also suggest dyslexia is very closely genetically related to performance on reading and spelling tests reinforcing the importance of standardised testing in identifying dyslexia.’

But it is still too soon for the findings to be used to diagnose dyslexia through genes, the scientists said, publishing their findings in the journal Nature Genetics.

Ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed in December last year that he kept his dyslexia secret for 20 years out of embarrassment.

He only learnt he had the condition in university and had to relearn how to read and write by deconstructing sentences and visualising words as pictures.

In September, Mr Hancock introduced a Bill in the House of Commons that would make it a requirement for all children to be screened for dyslexia before they leave primary school.

Earlier this month, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver described his struggle with dyslexia and the impact it had on his schooling.

‘In the old days at school it made me very frustrated and resentful about school as an institution and over the years I’ve come to terms with not learning the same way as most people not as a failure but an opportunity,’ he wrote on Instagram.

Intelligence is not affected by dyslexia — but people with the learning difficulty can struggle in school unless offered additional support.

Dyslexia is tricky to diagnose early as some signs, like making frequent spelling or pronunciation mistakes, occur normally as children learn to read and write.

Most children with the learning difficulty are only spotted in primary school but some people with the condition are missed until well into adulthood.

Parents concerned about their child’s reading and writing should talk to their teacher first, then consider seeking advice from a GP.

Adults who think they have dyslexia can arrange a dyslexia assessment.

Dyslexia: The learning difficulty that affects one in 10 – but isn’t always spotted in early childhood

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn’t affected. It’s estimated up to one in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a lifelong problem that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support is available to improve reading and writing skills and help those with the problem be successful at school and work.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

Signs of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts school and begins to focus more on learning how to read and write. A person with dyslexia may:

read and write very slowly
confuse the order of letters in words
put letters the wrong way round (such as writing ‘b’ instead of ‘d’)
have poor or inconsistent spelling
understand information when told verbally, but have difficulty with information that’s written down
find it hard to carry out a sequence of directions
struggle with planning and organisation
But people with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Getting help

If you think your child may have dyslexia, the first step is to speak to their teacher or their school’s special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about your concerns. They may be able to offer additional support to help your child if necessary.

If your child continues to have problems despite extra support, you or the school may want to consider requesting a more in-depth assessment from a specialist dyslexia teacher or an educational psychologist.

This can be arranged through the school, or you can request a private assessment by contacting an educational psychologist directly, or a voluntary organisation that can arrange an assessment.

Adults who wish to be assessed for dyslexia should contact a local or national dyslexia association for advice.

Support for people with dyslexia

If your child has dyslexia, they’ll probably need extra educational support from their school.

With appropriate support, there’s usually no reason your child can’t go to a mainstream school, although a small number of children may benefit from attending a specialist school.

Techniques and support that may help your child include:

occasional 1-to-1 teaching or lessons in a small group with a specialist teacher
phonics (a special learning technique that focuses on improving the ability to identify and process the smaller sounds that make up words)
technology like computers and speech recognition software that may make it easier for your child to read and write when they’re a bit older

Universities also have specialist staff who can support young people with dyslexia in higher education.

Technology such as word processors and electronic organisers can be useful for adults, too.

Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to help people with dyslexia, such as allowing extra time for certain tasks.

Support groups

As well as national dyslexia charities such as the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), there are several local dyslexia associations (LDAs).

These are independently registered charities that run workshops and help to provide local support and access to information.

What causes dyslexia?

People with dyslexia find it difficult to recognise the different sounds that make up words and relate these to letters.

Dyslexia isn’t related to a person’s general level of intelligence. Children and adults of all intellectual abilities can be affected by dyslexia.

The exact cause of dyslexia is unknown, but it often appears to run in families.

It’s thought certain genes inherited from your parents may act together in a way that affects how some parts of the brain develop during early life.

Source: NHS

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