Visual-spatial Working Memory Performance Research Articles

Effectiveness of working memory on visual-spatial working memory performance of pre-school children with learning problem at risk

Introduction: Specific learning difficulties are the existence of disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes which play a role in the process of understanding and using spoken or written language. Aim: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of working memory intervention on visual-spatial working memory performance among the preschool children at risk of learning disabilities. Method: This study was a quasi-experimental study including pretest and posttest design with a control group. The statistical population comprised all children who were studying in preschool centers and kindergartens (2016-2017) in Tehran (District 14). A sample of 20 preschool students who were selected through purposive sampling participated in this study. They were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups (10 participants in each group). The experimental group participated in working memory program to 60-minute 12 sessions during the three months. In order to measure the performance of working memory, the working memory subset of IQ scale, Tehran-Stanford-Binet test and N-Back test were used. The data were analyzed by SPSS-22 and t-Test. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the subjects age are 6.2 and 0.45, respectively. The results showed that the working memory intervention caused the improvement on visual-spatial working memory performance of children (P<0.001). Conclusion: Considering the findings of the present study, it seems that visual-spatial working memory intervention can improve the working memory of preschool children and it can be used to enhance the visual-spatial working memory function of children and prevent the learning problems.

Traditional test administration and proactive interference undermine visual-spatial working memory performance in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders

ABSTRACTIntroductionWorking-memory (WM) is a core cognitive deficit among individuals with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD). However, the underlying cognitive mechanisms of this deficit are less known. This study applies a modified version of the Corsi Block Test to investigate the role of proactive interference in visuospatial WM (VSWM) impairment in SSD.MethodsHealthy and SSD participants completed a modified version of the Corsi Block Test involving both high (typical ascending set size from 4 to 7 items) and low (descending set size from 7 to 4 items) proactive interference conditions.ResultsThe results confirmed that the SSD group performed worse overall relative to a healthy comparison group. More importantly, the SSD group demonstrated greater VSWM scores under low (Descending) versus high (Ascending) proactive interference; this pattern is opposite to that of healthy participants.ConclusionsThis differential pattern of performance supports that proactive interference associated with the traditional administration format contributes to VSWM impairment in SSD. Further research investigating associated neurocognitive mechanisms and the contribution of proactive interference across other domains of cognition in SSD is warranted.

Sex-Dimorphic Effects of Prenatal Treatment With Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone (DEX) is used to prevent virilization in female fetuses at risk of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Given that treatment has to be started before the genotype is known, 7 out of 8 fetuses will be exposed to DEX without benefit. To evaluate long-term cognitive effects of prenatal DEX therapy in healthy (non-CAH) DEX-treated children. Observational study with patient and control groups from a single research institute. Healthy (non-CAH) DEX-treated subjects (n = 34) and untreated population controls (n = 66) from Sweden, aged 7-17 years. DEX-treatment used in unborn children at risk of CAH, during first trimester of fetal life. Standardized neuropsychological tests and questionnaires were used. DEX treatment has widespread negative effects in girls. In Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-III scale subtests, we observed significant interactions between DEX and GENDER (coding, P = .044; block design, P = .013; vocabulary, P = .025) and a trend for the subtest digit span (P = .074). All interactions were driven by DEX effects in girls, but not boys, with DEX-treated females showing lower scores than female untreated controls (coding, P = .068, d = 0.66; block design, P = .021, d = 0.81; vocabulary, P = .014, d = 0.84; digit span, P = .001, d = 1.0). Likewise, DEX-treated girls tend to have poorer visual spatial working memory performance than controls (span board test forward: P = .065, d = .80). We observed no effects on long-term memory, handedness, speed of processing, nor self-perceived or parentally reported scholastic performance. Early prenatal DEX exposure affects cognitive functions in healthy girls, ie, children who do not benefit from the treatment. It can therefore not be considered safe to use this therapy in the context of CAH.

시공간 작업기억 수행능력에 따른 안정상태에서의 뇌파 특성 연구

본 연구의 목적은 표준화된 종합주의력검사(CAT)의 소검사인 시공간 작업기억력 검사를 통해 얻어진 실험대상자의 안정상태 뇌파 활성차이로 시공간 작업기억력 수행능력을 예측할 수 있는 지를 알아보고자 하는 것이다. 실험 대상자는 2014년 12월 1개월 동안 학업 성취도와 무관한 31명의 일반적인 중학생 중 시공간 작업기억력 검사 후 순방향과 역방향 공간폭 결과에서 표준편차를 벗어난 7명과 6명이 선별되었고, 선별된 대상자를 각각 작업기억력 우수 집단(EWM)과 저하 집단(PWM)으로 구성하였다. 뇌파 측정과 뇌파 밴드별 상호 연관성을 통한 뇌기능 지수의 하위요소를 알아보기 위해 뇌기능분석 프로그램을 사용하였고 집단 간 차이 검증을 위한 통계 처리는 Mann-Whitney Test로 하였다. 연구 결과는 첫째, 순방향 작업 기억력 검사 결과 EWM과 PWM 집단 간 고베타파 활성도에서 좌뇌와 우뇌 모두 유의미한 차이를 보였고 저베타파 활성도에서는 우뇌에서만 유의미한 차이가 나타났다. 둘째, 세타파와 알파파 활성도는 통계적 유의수준에는 도달하지 못했다. 결론적으로 시공간 작업기억 수행능력과 안정 상태시 고베타파와 저베타파 활성도와 상관관계가 있음을 보여주며 특히 시공간 작업기억 수행능력과 우뇌의 정신적 활동 및 사고능력과는 상관관계를 보여 주었다. 시공간 작업기억 수행능력을 안정 상태에서도 베타파의 활성도를 통해 예측할 수 있다는 점이 본 연구가 갖는 의의이다. 향후 뇌파의 활성도가 작업기억력 평가 도구와 근거자료로써 활용될 수 있기를 기대한다. The purpose of this study is to predict visual-spatial working memory performance through the characteristics of an electroencephalogram (EEG) in the resting state. The 31 study participants, middle school students with various to academic performance, were underwent visual-spatial working memory test in the Comprehensive Attention Test (CAT) on December in 2014. Each 7 and 6 participants were divided into an Excellent Working Memory (EWM) group and Poor Working Memory (PWM) group depending on the forward/backward working memory scores. The EEG measurements and analysis of the data from a Brain Function Tester were performed by the two groups. A Mann-Whitney Test was used to examine the statistical differences between them. The activation of high beta (<TEX>${\beta}H$</TEX>) at the Fp1 and Fp2 sites in the left and right hemisphere, and that of the low beta (<TEX>${\beta}L$</TEX>) in the right hemisphere in the EWM group was significantly higher than that in the PWM group. In conclusion, there is a correlation between the visual-spatial working memory performance and the activation of <TEX>${\beta}H$</TEX> and <TEX>${\beta}L$</TEX> in the resting state and a close correlation that of <TEX>${\beta}L$</TEX> in the right hemisphere in terms of mental activity and faculty. Therefore, the visual-spatial working memory performance can be predicted by the activation of <TEX>${\beta}H$</TEX> and <TEX>${\beta}L$</TEX> in the resting state. The activation of EEG can be applied as an assessment tool and provide basis data for visual-spatial working memory performance.

Verbal and visual-spatial working memory performance in Arabic monolingual and English/Arabic bilingual Kuwaiti children

IntroductionResearch in psycholinguistics focusing on cognitive processing in bilinguals and the role played by working memory about cognitive processing indicated that Working Memory (WM) was instrumental in cognitive processing in bilinguals, but that its role was different and generally more complex than it was in monolinguals. However, the specific manner in which the use of WM differed between monolinguals and bilinguals was not always clear.ObjectivesThis research explored the verbal and visual-spatial WM performance in an Arabic monolingual group and a bilingual English/Arabic group.MethodsThe participants were 396 Kuwaiti (198 monolingual aged 7.99 ± 1.97 years and 198 bilingual aged 8.03 ± 1.92) with no significant age differences (t = 0.23, P &gt; 0.05). The two groups were compared on how they performed in the Automated Working Memory Assessment (AWMA), to measure a verbal and visual-spatial WM tasks. The tasks were Listening Recall, Counting Recall, Mr. X, Backward Digit Recall, Odd-one-out and Spatial Span. All tasks were internally consistent (Alpha = 0.91, 0.93, 0.87, 0.88, 0.87, and 0.91 respectively). The data was analyzed using Independent Sample t Test.ResultsThe findings showed that there was significant group difference as the monolingual Arabic group (L1) performed better than bilingual English/Arabic group (L2) on both of verbal WM (t = 3.25, P &lt; 0.002) and visuospatial WM (t = 3.04, P &lt; 0.002).ConclusionThe monolingual children obtained higher scores on both verbal and visuospatial WM. These findings were explained in terms of the complexity of the Arabic language and cultural context in which the second language is being practiced. This warrants further investigation.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Development of thalamocortical connectivity during infancy and its cognitive correlations.

Although commonly viewed as a sensory information relay center, the thalamus has been increasingly recognized as an essential node in various higher-order cognitive circuits, and the underlying thalamocortical interaction mechanism has attracted increasing scientific interest. However, the development of thalamocortical connections and how such development relates to cognitive processes during the earliest stages of life remain largely unknown. Leveraging a large human pediatric sample (N = 143) with longitudinal resting-state fMRI scans and cognitive data collected during the first 2 years of life, we aimed to characterize the age-dependent development of thalamocortical connectivity patterns by examining the functional relationship between the thalamus and nine cortical functional networks and determine the correlation between thalamocortical connectivity and cognitive performance at ages 1 and 2 years. Our results revealed that the thalamus-sensorimotor and thalamus-salience connectivity networks were already present in neonates, whereas the thalamus-medial visual and thalamus-default mode network connectivity emerged later, at 1 year of age. More importantly, brain-behavior analyses based on the Mullen Early Learning Composite Score and visual-spatial working memory performance measured at 1 and 2 years of age highlighted significant correlations with the thalamus-salience network connectivity. These results provide new insights into the understudied early functional brain development process and shed light on the behavioral importance of the emerging thalamocortical connectivity during infancy.

Visual–spatial working memory performance and temporal gray matter volume predict schizotypal personality disorder group membership

BackgroundPrior work shows individuals with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) evince temporal lobe volume abnormalities similar to schizophrenia but sparing of prefrontal cortex, which may mitigate psychosis and the severe neurocognitive impairments observed in schizophrenia. This study examined the extent to which frontal–temporal gray matter volume and neurocognitive performance predict: (1) SPD group membership in a demographically-balanced sample of 51 patients and 37 healthy controls; and (2) symptom severity in SPD. MethodsDimensional gray-matter volume (left frontal–temporal regions (Brodmann area (BA) 10, 21, 22)) and neurocognitive performance on key memory tasks (California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Dot Test, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT)), all salient to schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were examined in a multi-variable model. ResultsMiddle temporal gyrus (BA21) volume and spatial–working memory (Dot Test) performance were significant predictors of SPD group membership likelihood, with poorer working-memory performance indicating increased probability of SPD membership. Combining across regional volumes or cognitive measures resulted in fair-to-good discrimination of group membership, but including neurocognitive and non-collinear regional volume measures together resulted in a receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve with improved diagnostic discrimination. Larger BA10 volume in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) significantly predicted less symptom severity in SPD. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that temporal lobe volume and spatial-working memory performance are promising biological/phenotype markers for likelihood of SPD classification, while greater DLPFC volume may serve as a protective factor.

Inattention, working memory, and academic achievement in adolescents referred for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

This study investigated the role of inattention and working memory in predicting academic achievement in 145 adolescents aged 13 to 18 referred for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Path analysis was used to examine whether auditory-verbal and visual-spatial working memory would mediate the relationships between classroom inattention symptoms and achievement outcomes. Results provide support for the mediational model. Behavioral inattention significantly predicted both auditory-verbal and visual-spatial working memory performance. Auditory-verbal working memory was strongly associated with adolescents' achievement in reading and mathematics, while visual-spatial working memory was only associated with achievement in mathematics. The path from inattention symptoms to reading was partially mediated by the working memory variables, but the path from inattention to mathematics was not mediated by working memory. The proposed model demonstrated a good fit to the data and explained a substantial amount of variance in the adolescents' achievement outcomes. These findings imply that working memory is a risk factor for academic failure for adolescents with attentional problems.

Preliminary Evidence of Beneficial Effects of Methylphenidate on Listening Comprehension in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

The effect of methylphenidate (MPH) on listening comprehension for information passages, and on working memory, was examined in a clinical sample of 16 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Drug effects on comprehension of spoken language at the levels of single sentences and passages, and on verbal and visual-spatial working memory (WM) skills were assessed over a 4-day placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover treatment trial of MPH at low, medium, and high doses. Concurrent behavior ratings were also completed. Data were analyzed at both group and individual levels; individual improvements using average change scores were analyzed to explore interrelationships among comprehension, WM, and behavioral responses to MPH. There was a significant effect of drug on comprehension of inferences from challenging listening passages (F = 3.1, p ,0.05), and on visual-spatial working memory performance (F = 3.3, p ,0.05), with significant linear dose-response relationships evident for both domains. Individual improvements in comprehension using averaged placebo-dose change scores were not related to improvements in behavior with MPH, or to improvements in WM in this sample. Findings provide preliminary evidence that MPH affects higher-level language comprehension skills, which require sustained attention and mental effort. If generalizable to classroom listening skills, these findings have implications for clinicians and teachers involved with children with ADHD.

Working memory, short-term memory, and speech rate as predictors of children's reading performance at different ages.

This study explored the contribution of 2 working memory (WM) systems (the phonological loop and the central executive) to reading performance in younger (9-year-old) and older (14-year-old) children. The results showed that (a) significant age-related differences in verbal and visual-spatial WM performance were maintained when articulation speed and short-term memory (the phonological system) were partialed from the analysis and (b) WM predicted age-related differences in word recognition and comprehension performance independent of the contribution of a short-term memory and articulatory rate. The results were interpreted as support for the notion that both the phonological and the executive systems are important predictors of age-related changes in reading but that these processes operate independent of each other in predicting fluent reading. Several implications of the results are discussed.

Does Strategy Knowledge Influence Working Memory in Children with Mathematical Disabilities?

This study investigated the relationship between working memory (WM), declarative strategy knowledge, and math achievement in children with and without mathematical disabilities (MD). Experiment 1 examined the relationship between strategy knowledge, verbal WM, and visual-spatial WM in children with MD as a function of initial, gain, and maintenance conditions. The results showed that after partialing the influence of reading, stable strategy choices rather than specific strategy knowledge was related to verbal and visual-spatial WM span in high demand (maintenance) conditions. Experiment 2 compared children with MD to a group of chronological age-matched children and a group of math ability-matched children on the same conditions as Experiment 1. Age-matched children's verbal and visual-spatial WM performance was superior to that of children with MD, whereas WM performance was statistically comparable between children with MD and younger children matched on math ability. The selection of expert strategies was related to high WM span scores in the initial conditions. After controlling for reading achievement in a regression analysis, verbal and visual-spatial WM, stable verbal strategy choices, and expert strategy choices related to visual-spatial processing all contributed independent variance to math achievement. Overall, these results suggest that WM and math achievement are related to strategy knowledge.

Individual and age-related differences in children's working memory.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree to which age-related and individual differences in children's working memory (WM) are due to a general or task-specific capacity system. Experiment 1 correlated children's (N = 146; age range 5-19 years) verbal and visual-spatial working memory performance with various intelligence and achievement measures. The results supporting a general system were that (1) visual-spatial and verbal WM measures were significantly intercorrelated with and without age partialed out and (2) both verbal and visual-spatial WM measures were significantly correlated with diverse achievement and intelligence measures. Experiment 2 compared three age groups (N = 192; 7-, 10-, and 13-year-olds) on working-memory performance tasks under initial, enhanced (cued), and maintenance conditions. The results supporting a general capacity system were that (1) age-related performance differences in WM were found on all conditions and not isolated to specific processes, (2) the maintenance measures (high-load condition) predicted the variance better in age-related performance than process measures, and (3) although individual differences in WM performance reflected two independent operations, these operations produced similar correlations to achievement within age groups. Overall, the results support a general capacity explanation of age-related and individual differences in children's WM performance.