Memory abilities in Williams syndrome : dissociation or developmental delay hyp...

• Author(s): Sampaio, Adriana ; Sousa, Nuno ; Férnandez, Montse ; Henriques, Margarida Rangel ; Gonçalves, Óscar F.
• Date: 2008
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/7916
• Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
• Subject(s): Williams syndrome; Memory dissociation; Neurodevelopment
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental genetic disorder often described as being characterized by a dissociative cognitive architecture, in which profound impairments of visuo-spatial cognition contrast with relative preservation of linguistic, face recognition and auditory short-memory abilities. This asymmetric and dissociative cognition has been also proposed to characterize WS memory ability, with sparing of auditory short-term memory and impairment of spatial and long-term memory abilities. In this study, we explored the possibility of a double memory dissociation in WS (short- versus long-term memory; verbal versus visual memory). Thus, verbal memory abilities were assessed using California Verbal Learning Test and Digit Span and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure and Corsi Blocks was used to assess visual–spatial memory abilities. Overall, WS subjects were found to present a generalized significant impairment in verbal and visuo-spatial components either in short- or long-term memory. In sum, data from this study brings support for a developmental delay hypothesis, rather than a double dissociation within memory systems in WS.