Deficit of temporal auditory processing in dyslexic adults

Dyslexia is a common disorder with largely unknown pathophysiology. We tested ten dyslexic adults and 20 control subjects with trains of binaural clicks which led to illusory sound movements at short click intervals. In controls, the illusion disappeared at intervals exceeding 90-120 ms while in the dyslexics it persisted up to intervals of 250-500 ms. Dyslexic adults thus seem to have a deficit in the processing of rapid sound sequences, which is also manifested in significant delays in their conscious auditory percepts. This pathophysiological abnormality seems to persist throughout life.