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T. C. Papadopoulos

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Conference summary

From the ‘black box’ of behavior to the use of advanced neurophysiological methods for the study of reading development

Phonological ability (PA) and rapid automatized naming (RAN) are two of the most examined underlying cognitive factors of reading development and reading difficulties. However, only a limited proportion of related research has examined underlying neural components of phonological awareness, which would further confirm whether different task requirements can help similarly diagnose reading difficulties. Likewise, the unconstrained reading format of serial RAN has made it challenging for traditional EEG and eye-tracking analysis methods to extract components for studying the neural and neurophysiological underpinnings of naming speed.

This talk will present

(1) how isolating the most informative neural components for PA can lead to confirming it as a reliable predictor of reading and reading difficulties status across two task conditions (initial and final phoneme elision) and

(2) a novel framework for integrative analysis of neurophysiological and eye-gaze data, based on extracted Fixation-Related Potentials (FRPs), in examining young readers’ cognitive processes under serial rapid-automatized naming (RAN) tasks. It will also suggest how a machine-learning-based algorithm can be applied to confirm dominant behavioral models for phonological memory and extract spatiotemporal RAN-related neural-congruency components that capture differences between children with dyslexia (DYS) and chronological age controls (CAC). The discussion will center on the significance of improving the power of analysis and using novel machine-learning frameworks for deciphering the neural underpinnings of reading-related processes.

Short C.V.

Timothy C. Papadopoulos, Ph.D., is a Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, and a founding member of the Center for Applied Neuroscience. He pursued his graduate studies in Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta, Canada, where he was employed at the JP Das Developmental Disabilities Centre. His research aims to understand neurodevelopmental disorders and their treatment, specifically (a) various optimal and protective factors for specific learning disorders, focusing on development, cognitive profiles, and pathology, (b) similar components for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (attention, executive functioning, inhibition, and processing speed) and (c) the effects of web-based cognitive remedial programs.

His research programs employ various methods, including eye-tracking, EEG, training paradigms, and cognitive and behavioral assessments. The Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation bestowed Prof. Papadopoulos the Distinguished Researcher Cyprus Research and Innovation Award in 2019. For more information and selected publications, visit https://www.ucy.ac.cy/‌directory/en/‌‌‌‌‌ profile/tpapadop.