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A theoretical molecular network for dyslexia: integrating available genetic findings

Molecular Psychiatry volume 16, pages 365–382 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Developmental dyslexia is a common specific childhood learning disorder with a strong heritable component. Previous studies using different genetic approaches have identified several genetic loci and candidate genes for dyslexia. In this article, we have integrated the current knowledge on 14 dyslexia candidate genes suggested by cytogenetic findings, linkage and association studies. We found that 10 of the 14 dyslexia candidate genes (ROBO1, KIAA0319, KIAA0319L, S100B, DOCK4, FMR1, DIP2A, GTF2I, DYX1C1 and DCDC2) fit into a theoretical molecular network involved in neuronal migration and neurite outgrowth. Based on this, we also propose three novel dyslexia candidate genes (SLIT2, HMGB1 and VAPA) from known linkage regions, and we discuss the possible involvement of genes emerging from the two reported genome-wide association studies for reading impairment-related phenotypes in the identified network.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the families who have made all these studies possible. We are also indebted to the many investigators whose work drives the dyslexia genetics field forward. This work was supported by a research grant from the ‘Hersenstichting Nederland’ (Brain Foundation of The Netherlands).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    G Poelmans & J K Buitelaar

  2. Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    D L Pauls

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    B Franke

  4. Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    B Franke

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  1. G Poelmans
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Poelmans, G., Buitelaar, J., Pauls, D. et al. A theoretical molecular network for dyslexia: integrating available genetic findings. Mol Psychiatry 16, 365–382 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2010.105

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