Visual-spatial Working Memory Research Articles

Creativity as predictor of mathematical abilities in fourth graders in addition to number sense and working memory

In this study, it was investigated how domain-specific (number sense) and domain-general (working memory, creativity) factors explain the variance in mathematical abilities in primary school children. A total of 166 children aged 8 to 10 years old participated. Several tests to measure math ability, mathematical creativity, number sense, verbal and visual spatial working memory and creativity were administered. Data were analyzed with a series of correlation and regression analyses. Number sense, working memory and creativity were all found to be important predictors of academic and creative mathematical ability. Furthermore, groups with math learning disabilities (MLD) and mathematical giftedness (MG) were compared to a typically developing (TD) group. The results show that the MLD group scored lower on number line estimation and visual spatial working memory than the TD group, while the MG group differed from the TD group on visual spatial working memory and creativity. It is concluded that creativity plays a significant role in mathematics, above working memory and number sense.

COGNITIVE SKILLS AND MATHEMATICAL PERFORMANCE, MEMORY (SHORT-TERM, LONG-TERM, WORKING), MENTAL PERFORMANCE AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MATHEMATICAL PERFORMANCE OF PRE-SCHOOL STUDENTS

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of cognitive capabilities and flowing intelligence on mathematical proficiency of pre-school students, shortly before attending elementary school. Eighty kindergarten students participated in the survey. Student performance was assessed in terms of short term memory (auditory and verbal short-term memory, visual short-term, semantic and non-semantic memory), working auditory and visual memory, visual long-term memory, fluid intelligence and math performance. Based on the results, there was a strong positive correlation (,777) between verbal working memory and mathematical performance. Moderate positive correlation between mathematical performance and short-term memory, visual spatial working memory, visual long-term memory and fluid intelligence was also found. To identify which factors have predictive value for mathematical competence, regression analysis was used. It has been found that verbal working memory is an important factor in explaining mathematical competence. Combined with long-term visual spatial working memory, they can more accurately predict the level of mathematical performance. The results show that verbal working memory is the best predictor of mathematical performance. Visual long-term memory follows, and finally visual spatial working memory seems to have the lowest impact on a student’s mathematical performance. Article visualizations:

Cálculo mental en niños y su relación con habilidades cognitivas

This study aimed to analyze whether verbal working memory (WM), visual-spatial WM, processing speed, and verbal ability predicted children's ability to perform mental arithmetic. Five tests were administered to 70 6-years-old children: the Vocabulary and Digits Span subtests from the WISC-III Intelligence Scale, the Animal Pegs subtest from WPPSI-R, and an arithmetic test (ad hoc). A linear regression analysis showed that only visual-spatial WM predicted the variability in children's scores in the arithmetic test (t=4.72; P<.001; β=.50). These findings contradict studies carried out in adults and older children where verbal WM seemed to play a greater role in the subject's ability to conduct calculations without external aids. It is possible that as they grow older, the automation of certain counting processes, as well as the storage and recovery of arithmetic knowledge from long-term memory will cause them to rely primarily on verbal WM resources.

Specificity of mental transformations involved in understanding spatial structures

Spatial abilities are thought to play an important role in learning from visualizations. The specificity of spatial abilities for particular mental transformations involved in spatial learning from visual media (rotation, perspective taking, spatial integration) was investigated. For each of the transformations, a dedicated criterion task was constructed and a specific ability was measured. Furthermore, reasoning ability (g) was considered. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses and simultaneous decompositions of variance were utilized. Mental rotation was a specific predictor of the rotation transformation, perspective transformation was predicted both by perspective taking ability and visual-spatial working memory (VSWM) capacity, and mental integration was predicted by reasoning ability, but not by VSWM capacity, contrary to expectations. It is concluded that correspondences between criterion tasks and ability measures may differ although links between ability and task requirements appear conceivable.

Improving visual spatial working memory in younger and older adults: effects of cross-modal cues

ABSTRACTSpatially informative auditory and vibrotactile (cross-modal) cues can facilitate attention but little is known about how similar cues influence visual spatial working memory (WM) across the adult lifespan. We investigated the effects of cues (spatially informative or alerting pre-cues vs. no cues), cue modality (auditory vs. vibrotactile vs. visual), memory array size (four vs. six items), and maintenance delay (900 vs. 1800 ms) on visual spatial location WM recognition accuracy in younger adults (YA) and older adults (OA). We observed a significant interaction between spatially informative pre-cue type, array size, and delay. OA and YA benefitted equally from spatially informative pre-cues, suggesting that attentional orienting prior to WM encoding, regardless of cue modality, is preserved with age. Contrary to predictions, alerting pre-cues generally impaired performance in both age groups, suggesting that maintaining a vigilant state of arousal by facilitating the alerting attention system does not help visual spatial location WM.

A 6-month follow-up of an RCT on behavioral and neurocognitive effects of neurofeedback in children with ADHD.

To assess the long-term effects of neurofeedback (NFB) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we compared behavioral and neurocognitive outcomes at a 6-month naturalistic follow-up of a randomized controlled trial on NFB, methylphenidate (MPH), and physical activity (PA). Ninety-two children with a DSM-IV-TR ADHD diagnosis, aged 7-13, receiving NFB (n=33), MPH (n=28), or PA (n=31), were re-assessed 6-months after the interventions. NFB comprised theta/beta training on the vertex (cortical zero). PA comprised moderate to vigorous intensity exercises. Outcome measures included parent and teacher behavioral reports, and neurocognitive measures (auditory oddball, stop-signal, and visual spatial working memory tasks). At follow-up, longitudinal hierarchical multilevel model analyses revealed no significant group differences for parent reports and neurocognitive measures (p=.058-.997), except for improved inhibition in MPH compared to NFB (p=.040) and faster response speed in NFB compared to PA (p=.012) during the stop-signal task. These effects, however, disappeared after controlling for medication use at follow-up. Interestingly, teacher reports showed less inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity at follow-up for NFB than PA (p=.004-.010), even after controlling for medication use (p=.013-.036). Our findings indicate that the superior results previously found for parent reports and neurocognitive outcome measures obtained with MPH compared to NFB and PA post intervention became smaller or non-significant at follow-up. Teacher reports suggested superior effects of NFB over PA; however, some children had different teachers at follow-up. Therefore, this finding should be interpreted with caution. Clinical trial registration Train your brain and exercise your heart? Advancing the treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Ref. no. NCT01363544, https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01363544 .

Journal Digest

Journal Digest

Cognitive impairment in adolescents and adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Impaired cognition has been reported in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), although the findings have been conflicting. It has been hypothesized that the major causes of the deficits are prenatal hormonal imbalances and/or excessive glucocorticoid treatment. An observational study investigating cognition in patients with CAH. A total of 55 patients with CAH and 58 control subjects from the general population, aged 16-33 years. Nine CAH subjects had been treated prenatally with dexamethasone. Singel research institute. Standardized neuropsychological tests (Wechsler Scales and Stroop Interference Test) and questionnaires (Barkley Deficit in Executive Functioning Scale) were used. Compared to controls, patients with CAH had impaired performance in tests measuring verbal working memory (P=.024), visual-spatial working memory (P=.005 and P=.003) and inhibition (P=.002). In measures of fluid intelligence/nonverbal logical reasoning, males with CAH performed poorer than control males (P=.033). Patients with salt-wasting CAH performed equally compared to patients with simple virilizing CAH. However, patients with a null genotype performed poorer than patients with a non-null genotype and significantly worse on fluid intelligence/nonverbal logical reasoning (P=.042). Prenatally-treated women performed worse on most cognitive measures than women with CAH not treated prenatally. Patients with CAH had normal psychometric intelligence but impaired executive functions compared with population controls. A null CAH genotype was associated with poorer general cognitive capacity.

Decoding visual spatial working memory uncertainty from human cortex

Decoding visual spatial working memory uncertainty from human cortex

Heterogeneity in development of aspects of working memory predicts longitudinal attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom change.

The current study uses an accelerated longitudinal design and latent trajectory growth mixture models in a sample of children ages 7-13 years carefully characterized as with (n = 437) and without (n = 297) ADHD to (a) identify heterogeneous developmental trajectories for response inhibition, visual spatial working memory maintenance, and delayed reward discounting and (b) to assess the relationships between these cognitive trajectories and ADHD symptom change. Best-fitting models indicated multiple trajectory classes in both the ADHD and typically developing samples, as well as distinct relationships between each cognitive process and ADHD symptom change. Developmental change in response inhibition and delayed reward discounting were unrelated to ADHD symptom change, while individual differences in the rate of visual spatial working memory maintenance improvement predicted symptom remission in ADHD. Characterizing heterogeneity in cognitive development will be crucial for clarifying mechanisms of symptom persistence and recovery. Results here suggest working memory maintenance may be uniquely related to ADHD symptom improvement. (PsycINFO Database Record

The Origin of Mathematics and Number Sense in the Cerebellum: with Implications for Finger Counting and Dyscalculia

BackgroundMathematicians and scientists have struggled to adequately describe the ultimate foundations of mathematics. Nobel laureates Albert Einstein and Eugene Wigner were perplexed by this issue, with Wigner concluding that the workability of mathematics in the real world is a mystery we cannot explain. In response to this classic enigma, the major purpose of this article is to provide a theoretical model of the ultimate origin of mathematics and “number sense” (as defined by S. Dehaene) that is proposed to involve the learning of inverse dynamics models through the collaboration of the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex (but prominently cerebellum-driven). This model is based upon (1) the modern definition of mathematics as the “science of patterns,” (2) cerebellar sequence (pattern) detection, and (3) findings that the manipulation of numbers is automated in the cerebellum. This cerebro-cerebellar approach does not necessarily conflict with mathematics or number sense models that focus on brain functions associated with especially the intraparietal sulcus region of the cerebral cortex. A direct corollary purpose of this article is to offer a cerebellar inner speech explanation for difficulty in developing “number sense” in developmental dyscalculia.ResultsIt is argued that during infancy the cerebellum learns (1) a first tier of internal models for a primitive physics that constitutes the foundations of visual-spatial working memory, and (2) a second (and more abstract) tier of internal models based on (1) that learns “number” and relationships among dimensions across the primitive physics of the first tier. Within this context it is further argued that difficulty in the early development of the second tier of abstraction (and “number sense”) is based on the more demanding attentional requirements imposed on cerebellar inner speech executive control during the learning of cerebellar inverse dynamics models. Finally, it is argued that finger counting improves (does not originate) “number sense” by extending focus of attention in executive control of silent cerebellar inner speech.DiscussionIt is suggested that (1) the origin of mathematics has historically been an enigma only because it is learned below the level of conscious awareness in cerebellar internal models, (2) understandings of the development of “number sense” and developmental dyscalculia can be advanced by first understanding the ultimate foundations of number and mathematics do not simply originate in the cerebral cortex, but rather in cerebro-cerebellar collaboration (predominately driven by the cerebellum).ConclusionIt is concluded that difficulty with “number sense” results from the extended demands on executive control in learning inverse dynamics models associated with cerebellar inner speech related to the second tier of abstraction (numbers) of the infant’s primitive physics.

Cognitive function assessment in adolescent patients on hemodiaylsis

Background Studying the impact of chronic kidney disease on neurocognitive functions is a critical element for providing optimal care to these children who might suffer from its detrimental consequence on their psychosocial life. Aim The aim of the study was to assess the cognitive functions in adolescents with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) under regular hemodialysis compared with healthy controls. Patients and methods We studied 40 adolescents – 20 patients with ESRD on regular dialysis and 20 controls closely matched with the patient in terms of their age, sex, and educational level. Patients were recruited from the pediatric dialysis unit, Menoufia University hospitals, with dialysis durations ranging from 0.5 to 8.5 years with mean 3.25±2.28 years. They were assessed using Raven’s Progressive Matrices tests (for fluid intelligence), and a computerized battery composed of Spatial Span (visual–spatial working memory task), Tower of London task (measuring planning and problem-solving ability), and the Go/No Go task (a task assessing response inhibition, set shifting, and attention). We, furthermore, assessed disease-related variables impacting the cognitive functions of the patients. Results The average age of the patients was 14.4±3.315 years, and that of the controls was 13.7±1.46 years. The fluid IQ for the patients was significantly lower than the controls (P Conclusion Our findings provide evidence that the fluid intelligence and cognitive function of adolescents with ESRD on dialysis fall within the low average on most tasks. Furthermore, hypertension and anemia potentially place children with ESRD at an increased risk for neurocognitive deficits, which consequently places them at risk for poor long-term educational and occupational outcomes.

Training of Visual-Spatial Working Memory in Preschool Children.

Working memory, the ability to store and manipulate information is of great importance for scholastic achievement in children. In this study, we report four studies in which preschoolers were trained on a visual-spatial working memory span task, namely the Corsi Block Task. Across all four studies, we found significant training effects for the intervention groups compared to active control groups. Confirming recent research, no transfer effects to other working memory tasks were found. Most importantly, our training effects were mainly brought about by children performing below the median in the pretest and those showing median performance, thereby closing the gap to children performing above the median (compensation effect). We consider this finding of great interest to ensure comparable starting conditions when entering school with a relatively short intervention.

Ensemble coding remains accurate under object and spatial visual working memory load

A number of studies have provided evidence that the visual system statistically summarizes large amounts of information that would exceed the limitations of attention and working memory (ensemble coding). However the necessity of working memory resources for ensemble coding has not yet been tested directly. In the current study, we used a dual task design to test the effect of object and spatial visual working memory load on size averaging accuracy. In Experiment 1, we tested participants' accuracy in comparing the mean size of two sets under various levels of object visual working memory load. Although the accuracy of average size judgments depended on the difference in mean size between the two sets, we found no effect of working memory load. In Experiment 2, we tested the same average size judgment while participants were under spatial visual working memory load, again finding no effect of load on averaging accuracy. Overall our results reveal that ensemble coding can proceed unimpeded and highly accurately under both object and spatial visual working memory load, providing further evidence that ensemble coding reflects a basic perceptual process distinct from that of individual object processing.

Verbal and visual-spatial working memory: What develops over a life span?

This study investigates whether age-related changes in the structure of 5 complex working memory (WM) tasks (a) reflect a general or domain specific system, (b) follows a similar trajectory across different age spans, and (c) contribute domain general or domain specific resources to achievement measures. The study parsed the sample (N = 2,471) into 11 age groups (mean ages of 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 26, 41, and 66 years), and compared their performances on verbal and visuospatial WM measures. Three important findings emerged: (a) a confirmatory factor analysis and Schmid-Leiman transformation to a high-order model solution supported a domain general factor model for the total sample as well as separately for children and adults, (b) performance on visual-spatial WM tasks as a function of age decreased at a faster rate than verbal WM tasks, and (c) both verbal and visual-spatial WM measures in concert with each other uniquely predicted reading and math measures, suggesting that a domain general WM system contributed to performance on achievement measures. The results support the notion that (a) complex WM tasks function as a domain general system and (b) the factor structure for children and adults on complex WM tasks was highly similar, even though there was evidence of differentiation among verbal and visual-spatial WM measures at certain age groups. (PsycINFO Database Record

Recovery of Working Memory Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Analysis

ABSTRACTIn a prospective longitudinal study, the trajectory of verbal and visual-spatial working memory (WM) development was examined 2-, 6-, 12-, and 24-months following complicated-mild to severe pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI; n = 55) relative to an orthopedic injury comparison group (n = 47). Individual growth curve modeling revealed an interaction of age, severity, and time for verbal, but not visual-spatial WM. The youngest children with severe TBI had the lowest scores and slowest verbal WM growth. WM outcome is best understood in light of age at injury and TBI severity. Findings support the early vulnerability hypothesis and highlight the need for long-term follow-up.

Age-related similarities and differences in monitoring spatial cognition

ABSTRACTSpatial cognitive performance is impaired in later adulthood but it is unclear whether the metacognitive processes involved in monitoring spatial cognitive performance are also compromised. Inaccurate monitoring could affect whether people choose to engage in tasks that require spatial thinking and also the strategies they use in spatial domains such as navigation. The current experiment examined potential age differences in monitoring spatial cognitive performance in a variety of spatial domains including visual–spatial working memory, spatial orientation, spatial visualization, navigation, and place learning. Younger and older adults completed a 2D mental rotation test, 3D mental rotation test, paper folding test, spatial memory span test, two virtual navigation tasks, and a cognitive mapping test. Participants also made metacognitive judgments of performance (confidence judgments, judgments of learning, or navigation time estimates) on each trial for all spatial tasks. Preference for allocentric or egocentric navigation strategies was also measured. Overall, performance was poorer and confidence in performance was lower for older adults than younger adults. In most spatial domains, the absolute and relative accuracy of metacognitive judgments was equivalent for both age groups. However, age differences in monitoring accuracy (specifically relative accuracy) emerged in spatial tasks involving navigation. Confidence in navigating for a target location also mediated age differences in allocentric navigation strategy use. These findings suggest that with the possible exception of navigation monitoring, spatial cognition may be spared from age-related decline even though spatial cognition itself is impaired in older age.

Intrahemispheric theta rhythm desynchronization impairs working memory.

There is a growing interest in large-scale connectivity as one of the crucial factors in working memory. Correlative evidence has revealed the anatomical and electrophysiological players in the working memory network, but understanding of the effective role of their connectivity remains elusive. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study we aimed to identify the causal role of theta phase connectivity in visual-spatial working memory. The frontoparietal network was over- or de-synchronized in the anterior-posterior direction by multi-electrode, 6 Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). A decrease in memory performance and increase in reaction time was caused by frontoparietal intrahemispheric desynchronization. According to the diffusion drift model, this originated in a lower signal-to-noise ratio, known as the drift rate index, in the memory system. The EEG analysis revealed a corresponding decrease in phase connectivity between prefrontal and parietal areas after tACS-driven desynchronization. The over-synchronization did not result in any changes in either the behavioral or electrophysiological levels in healthy participants. Taken together, we demonstrate the feasibility of manipulating multi-site large-scale networks in humans, and the disruptive effect of frontoparietal desynchronization on theta phase connectivity and visual-spatial working memory.

Neuropsychological correlates of schizotypy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Cognitive deficits can precede the onset of psychotic episodes and predict the onset of the illness in individuals with schizotypy traits. In some studies, high levels of schizotypy were associated with impairments in memory, attention, executive functions, and verbal fluency. This review provides a more comprehensive understanding of cognitive impairments related to schizoytpy.Methods: A systematic review of “schizotypy and neuropsychological measures” was conducted, and it retrieved 67 studies. All papers with case-control design showing means and standard deviations from neuropsychological measures were included in a meta-analysis (n = 40). A comparison between our finding and another metaanalysis with patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders [Fatouros-Bergman, H., Cervenka, S., Flyckt, L., Edman, G., & Farde, L. (2014). Meta-analysis of cognitive performance in drugnaive patients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2014.06.034] was performed to study the similarities on the MATRICS domains between the two disorders.Results: We found evidence of worse functioning of verbal and visual-spatial working memory, and of language in people with schizotypy or with schizotypal traits. Working memory deficit is present in both schizotypy and schizophrenia with larger effect sizes compared to other domains.Conclusions: Working memory deficit might be a cognitive marker of the risk of psychosis. Interventions targeting cognitive deficits early may be crucial to the prevention of psychosis.

Multi-group and hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fifth Edition: What does it measure?

The purpose of this research was to test the consistency in measurement of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V; Wechsler, 2014) constructs across the 6 through 16 age span and to understand the constructs measured by the WISC-V. First-order, higher-order, and bifactor confirmatory factor models were used. Results were compared with two recent studies using higher-order and bifactor exploratory factor analysis (Canivez, Watkins, & Dombrowski, 2015; Dombrowski, Canivez, Watkins, & Beaujean, 2015) and two using confirmatory factor analysis (Canivez, Watkins, & Dombrowski, 2016; Chen, Zhang, Raiford, Zhu, & Weiss, 2015). We found evidence of age-invariance for the constructs measured by the WISC-V. Further, both g and five distinct broad abilities (Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial Ability, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed) were needed to explain the covariances among WISC-V subtests, although Fluid Reasoning was nearly equivalent to g. These findings were consistent whether a higher-order or a bifactor hierarchical model was used, but they were somewhat inconsistent with factor analyses from the prior studies. We found a correlation between Fluid Reasoning and Visual Spatial factors beyond a general factor (g) and that Arithmetic was primarily a direct indicator of g. Composite scores from the WISC-V correlated well with their corresponding underlying factors. For those concerned about the fewer numbers of subtests in the Full Scale IQ, the model implied relation between g and the FSIQ was very strong.