Mechanisms of Developmental Dyslexia: a Review of the Hypotheses Formed Based on the Experimental Studies

Specific reading impairments (developmental dyslexia) is a widespread problem: according to recent studies, from five to twenty percent of the population in different countries suffer from this impairment. Effective planning of the intervention programs for people with dyslexia requires taking into account a wide range of possible causes of impairment of complex reading skills. Experimental studies are conducted worldwide targeting the mechanisms of the developmental dyslexia at different levels: at the level of cognitive functions, at the level of brain mechanisms, at the genetic level. This paper presents an overview of scientific hypotheses on the mechanisms of dyslexia at the level of cognitive functions. The information presented in this review may be useful to speech pathologists, neurologists, speech therapists, neuropsychologists and other specialists working with people with reading disorders.