A WHITEFIELD woman is at the forefront of a key scientific breakthrough.

Mother-of-four Mrs Carole Harrison has discovered a new phenomenon in heart rate perception which could ultimately help those suffering dyslexia and other learning problems. She hopes to have her research findings published in the near future.

Carole, of Hillside Avenue, has just graduated with a BSc (Hons, 2.1) degree in psychology with biology from Bolton Institute of Higher Education.

The final 12 months of her four and a half years of studies were devoted to heart rate perception.

These involved experiments whereby people had to perceive their own heart rate from another heart rate on a monitor.

"I discovered that a certain type of perception is related to handedness, left, right and ambidextrous," said 36-year-old Carole. "At the same time, I disproved the theory that heart rate perception was mainly on the right side of the brain. Instead, I related it to handedness."

Now, she feels her breakthrough could have important implications for people who are dyslexic or those with other learning difficulties.

"People with dyslexia have been proven not to have a determined dominant side of the brain," she explained.

"If you are right handed, the left side of the brain is dominant and vice versa. But people with dyslexia have no dominant side."

She continued: "Dyslexic people don't have the ability to read words accurately, but rather read them back to front.

"So, dyslexia is down to decoding rather than actual comprehension. Children with dyslexia are prone to unstable handedness preference.

"If they use their right hand, they might also be able to use their left. That points to incomplete cerebral dominance."

Carole continued: "My research would help look into dyslexia and the decoding in terms of the brain.

"It might help to assist with understanding dyslexic people better and to find out different ways to help them."

Carole, married with a daughter and three sons aged between three and 13, was born in Prestwich and attended Parrenthorn High School and Bury College.

She studied and qualified as a registered general nurse in Merseyside where she worked from 1982 until 1987.

Later, she qualified as a registered mental nurse at Prestwich Hospital where she worked until 1995.

Carole also attained a level 11 counselling skills certificate from Bolton Institute and now plans to begin studying for a Phd in neurophysiology next month at Bolton.