Neurobiology and Treatment of Reading Disability in NF-1

Inclusion Criteria:

This study will be open to all individuals, ages 8 to 17 years, who meet eligibility criteria regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status.

* The Reading Disabilities group (including those with NF-1) is defined by scoring equal to or less than the 25th percentile on measures of basic word reading skills.
* The Control group (including those with NF1) is defined by scoring equal to or above the 40th percentile on the average of the Letter Word Identification and Word Attack subtests from the WJ-III.

Exclusion Criteria:

Any child, regardless of which group he/she is recruited for, will be excluded if he/she meets any of the following criteria (determined during phone screening, medical review, and during testing):

* is in foster care;
* previous diagnosis of mental retardation;
* known uncorrectable visual impairment;
* history of known neurological disorder (e.g., epilepsy, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury);
* documented hearing impairment greater than 25 dB loss in either ear;
* medical contraindication to MRI procedures, if participating in MRI (including exposure to metal and pregnancy);
* individuals known to have an IQ below 70;
* history or presence of a pervasive developmental disorder;
* during the DICA-IV parents indicate the presence of any severe psychiatric diagnoses or pervasive developmental disorder.