Are Reading Disabilities Genetic?

Your Complex Brain

Do you know a child who has difficulty spelling or sounding out words? Maybe they feel stressed or anxious when it comes to reading, or they try to avoid it altogether?
These symptoms could be a sign of a reading disorder, which is the most common form of a learning disability.
In this episode, we discuss the prevalence and impact of reading disorders, what scientists are learning about the genetic links, and what that could mean for new approaches and treatments in the future.
Featuring:
Dr. Cathy Barr – Senior Scientist with UHN’s Krembil Brain Institute and the Hospital for Sick Children. Her research focuses on genetic links to neurodevelopmental disorders, such as childhood depression, Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD and reading disabilities. Dr. Barr’s team has identified genes that may contribute to these disorders. They’re now focusing on understanding how those changes in DNA could influence genes, and contribute to risk.
Dr. Maureen Lovett – Senior Scientist Emeritus in Neurosciences and Mental Health at The Hospital for Sick Children, where she founded and directed the hospital’s Learning Disabilities Research Program for more than 35 years. Since 2020, Dr. Lovett has served as Associate Director of the Haskins Global Literacy Hub at Yale University and the University of Connecticut.
Matthew Cote – Teacher and advocate for those living with learning disabilities, including reading disabilities. Matthew has lived experience with learning disabilities.
Additional resources:
Dr. Cathy Barr’s UHN Research website
UHN Foundation story featuring Dr. Cathy Barr – “Reading the Genome”
Sick Kids Empower Reading & Learning Group
Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario

The Your Complex Brain production team is Heather Sherman, Jessica Schmidt, Dr. Amy Ma, Kim Perry, Alley Wilson, Sara Yuan, Meagan Anderi, Liz Chapman, and Lorna Gilfedder.
The Krembil Brain Institute, part of University Health Network, in Toronto, is home to one of the world's largest and most comprehensive teams of physicians and scientists uniquely working hand-in-hand to prevent and confront problems of the brain and spine, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, brain cancer or concussion, in their lifetime. Through state-of-the-art patient care and advanced research, we are working relentlessly toward finding new treatments and cures.
Do you want to know more about the Krembil Brain Institute at UHN? Visit us at: uhn.ca/krembil
To get in touch, email us at [e-mail] or message us on social media:
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Thanks for listening!