University of Hong Kong researchers have found that the location of structural abnormalities in the brains of children with dyslexia depends on what language they are attempting to learn.

They used MRI plus a technique called voxel-based morphometry to measure the actual volume of the brain’s gray matter at the key sites that appeared to vary by language.

Chinese children with dyslexia had a significantly smaller left middle frontal gyrus than did Chinese children without the disorder, even though both groups had the same overall volume of gray matter. This brain area is associated with working memory–a higher stage of processing.

English speakers had changes in the temporoparietal and occipitotemporal regions, an area associated with symbol and sound processing.

The differences suggest that dyslexia could be two separate disorders, and that children with dyslexia in one language might not have it in the other.