Neural Correlates of Visual Attention and Short-Term Memory in Children with Reading Difficulty

Visual attention and memory of 20 children with reading difficulty (M-age = 134 months), 24 chronological (M-age = 138 months) and 19 reading-age controls (M-age = 92 months) were examined using object substitution masking; mask offset delay increases visual attention and visual short-term memory demands. ERP amplitude differences in the N1 (alerting), N2pc (N2-posterior-contralateral; selective attention), and SPCN (sustained posterior contralateral negativity; memory load) were expected between groups. Chronological controls performed best, but ERP results were mixed. No group differences were found for N1 or N2pc. SPCN showed enhanced negativity in reading difficulty, indicating greater memory load and anomalous inhibition.