Syndrome Can Confer Neurological Strengths.

• Position: DYSLEXIA

Children diagnosed with dyslexia show greater emotional reactivity than those without the condition, according to a study published in Cortex. This higher emotional reactivity is correlated with stronger connectivity in the brain's salience network, a system that supports emotion generation and self-awareness.

The results broaden current conceptualizations of typical dyslexia and suggest the syndrome is much more complex than just a weakness in reading skills, adding support to the growing awareness that dyslexia often is associated with hidden interpersonal strengths.

"There are anecdotes that some kids with dyslexia have greater social and emotional intelligence," says Virginia Sturm, a member of the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, San Francisco, Calif. "We don't want to say that all kids with dyslexia are necessarily gifted in this way, but we can think about dyslexia as being associated with both strengths and weaknesses."

The findings suggest that many children with dyslexia may possess strengths around social acumen, since stronger emotional responses can be a key element of successful social relationships. Some adults with dyslexia report that they made it through school by "charming their teachers." This ability to make social connections, often interpreted as a purely compensatory strategy, instead could be a sign of enhanced emotional abilities at a neurological level.

Still, a dyslexia diagnosis is not a guarantee of social success. As parent reports indicate, higher emotional reactivity and sensitivity also can be a risk factor for developing anxiety and depression, as these children could possibly be detecting emotional cues differently from neurotypical individuals, which is one more reason to make sure that these children are protected and...