Working Memory Subtests Research Articles

Language experience influences performance on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery: A cluster analysis

Studies investigating the effects of bilingualism on cognitive function have often yielded conflicting results, which may stem in part from the use of arbitrary criteria to categorize participants into groups based on language experience. The present study addresses this limitation by using a machine learning algorithm, known as cluster analysis, to identify naturally occurring subgroups of participants with similar language profiles. In a sample of 169 participants with varying degrees of first- and second-language proficiencies and ages of acquisition, the cluster analysis yielded four bilingual subgroups: late-unbalanced, early-unbalanced, late-balanced, and early-balanced. All participants completed the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Results revealed that early-balanced and early-unbalanced bilinguals scored higher than late-unbalanced bilinguals on the cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control subtests of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery, whereas late-unbalanced bilinguals scored higher than early-balanced bilinguals on the verbal working memory subtest of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Bilingual language experience did not impact performance on measures of processing speed, episodic memory, and English vocabulary. These findings demonstrate the utility of data-driven approaches to capture the variability in language experience that exists in the real world. We conclude that different bilingual experiences can shape a wide range of cognitive abilities, from working memory to inhibitory control.

Brain activity associated with emotion regulation predicts individual differences in working memory ability.

Previous behavioral research has found that working memory is associated with emotion regulation efficacy. However, there has been mixed evidence as to whether the neural mechanisms between emotion regulation and working memory overlap. The present study tested the prediction that individual differences on the working memory subtest of the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) could be predicted from the pattern of brain activity produced during emotion regulation in regions typically associated with working memory, such as the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). A total of 101 participants completed an emotion regulation fMRI task in which they either viewed or reappraised negative images. Participants also completed working memory test outside the scanner. A whole brain covariate analysis contrasting the reappraise negative and view negative BOLD response found that activity in the right dlPFC positively related to working memory ability. Moreover, a multivoxel pattern analysis approach using tenfold cross-validated support vector regression in regions-of-interest associated with working memory, including bilateral dlPFC, demonstrated that we could predict individual differences in working memory ability from the pattern of activity associated with emotion regulation. These findings support the idea that emotion regulation shares underlying cognitive processes and neural mechanisms with working memory, particularly in the dlPFC.

Correlation between language and cognitive skills in Egyptian children with reading problems

BackgroundReading problems are the most prevalent type of specific learning disability. Reading problems usually result from phonological deficits; however, it is unclear how much other linguistic abilities are impacted as well.ObjectiveTo study different language parameters and cognitive skills in a group of Egyptian children with reading problems to better understand the difficulties that need to be considered in rehabilitation programs for those children.MethodsA case–control study was conducted on 30 children with reading problems having IQs above 85 and 30 normal control children matched for age and gender (their ages ranged from 7 to 9 years and 11 months). They underwent testing for dyslexia by the Arabic dyslexia assessment test, language evaluation using the Receptive Expressive Arabic Language Scale (REAL scale), and the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale, fifth edition.ResultsThere were highly significant correlations between the severity of dyslexia and total language scores, most of REAL scale subtests. Also, highly significant correlations were detected between the severity of dyslexia and the total IQ, verbal IQ, and verbal working memory subtests. The linear regression model revealed a highly significant association between dyslexia and expressive language scaled scores, total language scaled scores, and a significant association with expressive vocabulary and understanding oral instructions subtests of REAL scale. Additionally, a highly significant association has been detected between dyslexia and the verbal working memory subtest of the Stanford-Binet test. Correlations between total language scores and intellectual abilities (total IQ, verbal IQ, and non-verbal IQ) revealed highly significant positive results.ConclusionDeficits in both receptive and expressive language were observed in children with reading problems. Expressive vocabulary, listening comprehension, and verbal working memory subtests are the most affected language and cognitive skills.

B - 56 Effects of rTMS Treatment on Executive Function Measured by the CANTAB Spatial Working Memory Subtest.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) presents with deficits in executive function (Krawczyk et al., 2019). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive neuromodulation treatment, may help improve cognitive outcomes. However, it remains unclear in which cognitive domains (Clark & Parasuraman, 2014; Donaldson et al., 2015). This study investigates executive function using the Spatial Working Memory subtest of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, a computerized card-matching task in which participants match up to 12 cards to matched pairs based on memory (CDC). Veterans and civilians were enrolled (n = 31; mild and moderate TBI; mean age = 62.25) and placed into active or sham groups. Participants received neuropsychological assessment at baseline, after 20 rTMS treatments, and at six-month follow-up. This study compared means between the active and sham groups (n = 16 & 15, respectively). Participants in the active group had fewer errors than the sham group on the 12-box trial (M = 24.19, SD = 11.20; M = 34.27, SD = 18.16; respectively), 8-box trial (M = 6.75, SD = 5.447; M = 8.27, SD = 6.11; respectively), 6-box trial (M = 2.06, SD = 3.00; M = 3.60, SD = 4.03; respectively) and across the 4, 6 and 8-box trials (M = 9.75, SD = 8.57; M = 12.47, SD = 10.04; respectively). Effect sizes were small to large (d = 0.28-0.67). The results suggest that rTMS treatment potentially enhances executive functioning in older adults with TBI. Further research on the impacts of rTMS in executive function domains is warranted.

Early-onset schizophrenia: studying the links between cognitive and clinical dimensions

ABSTRACT Background Early-onset schizophrenia (EOS), a rare and severe chronic psychiatric condition, is defined by an onset of schizophrenia symptoms before the age of 18. Core symptoms also include cognitive impairments. However, little is known about links between psychiatric symptoms of EOS and cognitive abilities. Objective To explore the clinical and neurocognitive profiles of EOS patients and their links. Method EOS patients have been phenotyped using standardised psychiatric assessments for DSM-5 diagnoses (K-SADS-PL) and for symptoms (PANSS and SANS), together with neurocognitive evaluations. Results The EOS sample (n = 27, 12.4 +/−3.2 years) presented hallucinations (83%), negative symptoms (70%) and delusion (59%). 81% of patients presented comorbidities such as anxiety disorders (33%), autism spectrum disorder (26%) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (26%). Patients presented borderline intellectual deficiency (total IQ = 72.5 +/−4.7), with low performances in working memory subtest. We highlight a positive correlation between the IQ and intensity of positive symptoms (PANSS) and between the IQ and a first treatment being administered at an older age. We also highlight a negative correlation between the IQ and attention items of SANS. Conclusion Cognitive skills are correlated with symptom intensity in EOS patients. An older age of onset seems to be a protective factor for cognitive development.

Working memory assessment using cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery can help in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In this study, we investigated working memory (WM) profiles of MCI patients using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). We also examined the diagnostic accuracy and possible associated factors as secondary outcomes of the study. We conducted an electronic search on EMBASE, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. Studies with MCI participants and using CANTAB battery subtests for the assessment of WM were included. Meta-analysis was conducted using the CMA2 software. Out of 1537 records, 14 studies were covered in this systematic review, and 7 of them were included in the meta-analysis. There was a significant difference between MCI patients and healthy controls in spatial working memory (SWM) (SDM: 0.535; 95%CI 11-96; p-value=0.014), spatial span (SSP) (SDM: 0.649 95%CI 0.297-0.100; p-value<0.01), and rapid visual information processing (RVP) (SDM: 0.52; 95%CI 0.386-0.654; p-value<0.01). WM function of MCI patients was associated with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau-protein and amyloid-beta (Aβ). WM is an impaired cognitive domain in MCI. CANTAB WM subtests including SSP, SWM, and RVP are accurate enough to be used as a proper assessment tool for the diagnosis of MCI in clinical settings. Tau-protein and Aβ are associated with lower WM scores in MCI patients; however, sex, age, psychiatric disorders, apolipoprotein 4 allele, and functional activity scores cannot affect WM.

The Effect of Adlerian Play Therapy on Working Memory of Female Students Seven to Twelve Years Old With Mild Intellectual Disability

Objective Intellectual disability is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. Working memory deficit can affect children. One of the effective methods in the field of learning is playing games and the application of play therapy techniques. In this method, children are allowed to practice useful social behaviors and experience new thoughts and feelings in a safe environment with supportive relationships. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Adlerian play therapy on the working memory of female students aged 7 to 12 years with mild intellectual disability. Materials &amp; Methods Out of 60 female students aged 7 to 12 years with a diagnosis of mild intellectual disability in Fatemeh Zahra Special School in Qom, 28 students met the inclusion criteria. They were divided into the experimental and control groups by 1: 1 random allocation. The experimental group received the Adlerian therapy protocol for ten weeks in three 45-minute sessions (30 sessions) every week. The working memory of both groups was examined in three stages, including pre-test, post-test, and one month later, without receiving any intervention for follow-up, by the fourth version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). Data analysis was done by Shapiro-Wilk, Friedman, Mann-Whitney, and Bonferroni tests and generalized estimation equation by SPSS software v. 22 at the significance level of 5%. Results Most of the subjects in each group were aged 7 years (first grade) with six people (43%), whereas the lowest frequency was related to the age of 9 years (third grade) with two people (14%) per group. The mean and standard deviation of the working memory subtest in the experimental group increased from 6.28 3.66 in the pre-test to 10.4 86 in the post-test and increased to 12.64 5.25 in the follow-up stage. However, in the control group, the mean and standard deviation changed from 5.92 3.19 in the pre-test to 5.64 3.17 and 5.85 3.41 in the post-test and follow-up, respectively. In the experimental group, there was a significant difference in the mean score of working memory in all stages of measurement (p&lt; 0.05). In the pre-test stage, there was no significant difference in the mean score of working memory in the experimental and control groups (p&gt;0.05). In the post-test stage, because the P was very close to 0.05, we can ignore it and consider it significant. In the follow-up stage, there was a significant difference in the mean score of working memory in the experimental and control groups (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion It seems that child-centered Adlerian play therapy has a persistent effect on the working memory of students with mild intellectual disabilities. Therefore, Adlerian play therapy can be used in educational planning to enhance the working memory of these students

Does vestibular loss result in cognitive deficits in children with cochlear implants?

In adults, vestibular loss is associated with cognitive deficits; however, similar relationships have not been studied in children. Evaluate the effect of vestibular loss on working memory and executive function in children with a cochlear implant (CCI) compared to children with normal hearing (CNH). Vestibular evoked myogenic potential, video head impulse, rotary chair, and balance testing; and the following clinical measures: vision, hearing, speech perception, language, executive function, and working memory. Thirty-eight CNH and 37 CCI participated (26 with normal vestibular function, 5 with unilateral vestibular loss, 6 with bilateral vestibular loss). Children with vestibular loss demonstrated the poorest balance performance. There was no significant reduction in working memory or executive function performance for either CCI group with vestibular loss; however, multivariate regression analysis suggested balance performance was a significant predictor for several working memory subtests and video head impulse gain was a significant predictor for one executive function outcome. CCI with vestibular loss did not have significantly reduced working memory or executive function; however, balance performance was a significant predictor for several working memory subtests. Degree of hearing loss should be considered, and larger sample sizes are needed.

The relationships between language, working memory and rapid naming in children with mild to moderate hearing loss

ObjectiveHearing loss is associated with reduced quality and quantity of auditory input, and difficulty in cognitive and language skills. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between language, working memory, and rapid naming skills in children with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss (MMHL). MethodsTwenty children with MMHL with the same auditory experience and demographical conditions using bilateral hearing aids were included. Verbal memory subscale of the Working Memory Scale (WMS), consisting of verbal short-term memory (V-STM) and verbal working memory (V-WM) subtests, was administered to all participants. They also completed rapid automatized naming tasks and standardized language measures. ResultsThe language score showed a moderate and significant correlation with verbal memory (VM) score (p = 0.03, r = 0.48) and a moderate and negative correlation with rapid automatized naming (RAN) duration (p = 0.06, r = −0.61). The VM score showed a moderate and significant negative correlation with RAN duration (p = 0.01, r = −0.67). The language level has a strong and significant positive correlation with V-STM (p = 0.007, r = 0.60), V-WM (p = 0.009, r = 0.58), and VM level (p = 0.003, r = 0.65). VM subtests levels have a strong and significant positive correlation with each other (p = 0.017, r = 0.53). RAN level has a strong and significant negative correlation with VM (p = 0.001, r = −0.70), V-WM (p = 0.001, r = −0.76), V-STM (p = 0.001, r = −0.69), and language level (p = 0.001, r = −0.77). ConclusionThe results suggest that the language, verbal working memory, and rapid naming skills of children with MMHL are closely related. It is recommended that the relationship between verbal short-term memory, verbal working memory, rapid naming skills, and language skills should be considered in therapeutic and educational settings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationships between verbal-short-term -working memory, duration of rapid automatized naming, and language skills in children with MMHL.

Diet May Moderate the Relationship Between Arterial Stiffness and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults.

Background: Cognitive decline is influenced by various factors including diet, cardiovascular disease, and glucose control. However, the combined effect of these risk factors on cognitive performance is yet to be fully understood.Objective: The current study aimed to explore the inter-relationship between these risk factors and cognitive performance in older adults at risk of future cognitive decline.Methods: The sample comprised 163 (Age: M = 65.23 years, SD = 6.50) participants. Food Frequency Questionnaire data was used to score diet quality and adherence to the Western Style Diet (WSD) and Prudent Style Diet (PSD). Glucose control was gauged by serum levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and arterial stiffness was measured using carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity. Cognitive performance was assessed using two subtests of the Swinburne University Computerized Cognitive Assessment Battery (SUCCAB) and Rey’s Verbal Learning Test (RVLT).Results: Diet quality, adherence to the WSD or PSD, and glucose control were not significantly related to cognitive outcomes. However, a significant negative association was found between arterial stiffness and the spatial working memory subtest of SUCCAB (β= –0.21, p < 0.05). Arterial stiffness also significantly interacted with the PSD to impact total recall (F change (1,134) = 5.37, p < 0.05) and the composite score of RVLT (F change (1,134) = 4.03, p < 0.05).Conclusion: In this sample of older adults at risk of cognitive decline, diet alone was not found to predict cognitive performance; however, it was found to moderate the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognition.

Computerized cognitive training for improving cochlear-implanted children's working memory and language skills.

Sensory deprivation, including hearing loss, can affect different aspects of a person's life. Studies on children with hearing impairment have shown that such patients, especially those with cochlear implants (CIs), suffer from cognitive impairments, such as working memory problems and poor language skills. The present study aimed to examine the efficacy of cognitive computer training in improving working memory and language skills in children with a CI. This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group. Fifty-one children with a CI aged 6-12 years were recruited through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the control and treatment groups. The Wechsler Working Memory Subtest and the Test of Language Development (TOLD) were used to evaluate children's working memory and language skills pre- and post-treatment. The treatment group attended twenty 50-60-minute cognitive computer training sessions three times a week. Sina-Working Memory Training was used to provide the treatment group with working memory training, whereas no intervention was provided to the control group. Univariate and multivariate analyses of covariance were used to analyze data. The results demonstrated the efficacy of cognitive computer training in improving the performance of cochlear-implanted children's working memory (auditory and visual-spatial) (P < 0.01). The results also pointed to improved performance in sentence imitation (P < 0.01), word discrimination (P < 0.01), and phonemic analysis subtests (P < 0.01). Overall, the findings indicated that cognitive computer training might improve working memory and language skills for children with CI. Therefore, the development and execution of such programs for children with CIs seem to improve their cognitive functions, such as working memory and language skills.

Evaluating working memory outcome measures for children with Down syndrome.

There is a critical need for the psychometric evaluation of outcome measures to be used in clinical trials targeting cognition in Down syndrome (DS). This study examines a specific cognitive skill that is of particular importance in DS, working memory, and the psychometric properties of a set of standardised measurements to assess working memory in individuals with DS. Ninety children and adolescents ages 6 to 18years old with DS were assessed on a selection of verbal and visuospatial working memory subtests of standardised clinical assessments at two time points to examine feasibility, distributional qualities, test-retest reliability and convergent validity against a priori criteria. Caregivers also completed an adaptive behaviour questionnaire to address working memory subtests' associations with broader developmental functioning. The Stanford Binet-5 Verbal Working Memory, Differential Ability Scales-2 Recognition of Pictures, Stanford Binet-5 Nonverbal Working Memory and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-5 Picture Span measures met the most psychometric criteria overall across the full age and IQ range of the study. Although Differential Ability Scales-2 Recall of Sequential Order and Differential Ability Scales-2 Recall of Digits Backward met the fewest a priori criteria, follow-up analyses suggested greater feasibility in specific age and IQ ranges. Several working memory measures appear to be psychometrically sound and appropriate for use in clinical trials for children with DS, especially when focusing on raw scores. However, floor effects on standard scores and feasibility of some measures were problematic. Guidelines for use of the working memory subtests with this population are provided.

Validity of the WISC-V in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance

ABSTRACT Objective: Assessment of intellectual abilities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a core component of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. However, relatively limited information is available regarding the validity of one of the most commonly-used measures of intelligence, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – 5th Edition (WISC-V) in ASD. Method: We investigated the factor structure and measurement invariance of the WISC-V in a sample of 349 children aged 6–16 diagnosed with ASD using single- and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. The comparison group was the WISC-V standardization sample. Results: A four-index bifactor solution best fit the ASD group data. Measurement invariance analyses indicated support for configural and metric, but not scalar, invariance of the published 5-index structure, suggesting systematic differences in performance among some subscales in ASD. The 7-subtest FSIQ scale had partial scalar invariance after relaxing equality constraints on the Coding and Digit Span subtest intercepts, suggesting sources other than theorized IQ ability contribute to lower scores on these subtests within ASD. The Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) failed to demonstrate appropriate fit in baseline models. The General Ability Index (GAI) had full configural, metric, and scalar invariance. Conclusions: Statistical bias on the WISC-V within ASD in processing speed and working memory subtests creates significant limitations for the use of FSIQ and especially CPI index scores in ASD populations. The GAI showed strong measurement properties and should be considered as the preferred indicator of overall intellectual functioning when assessing children with ASD using the WISC-V.

Cross‐Sectional Analysis of Spatial Working Memory Development in Children with Histories of Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

In children with prenatal alcohol exposure, spatial working memory is affected and brain regions important for spatial working memory performance exhibit atypical neurodevelopment. We therefore hypothesized that children with prenatal alcohol exposure may also have atypical development of spatial working memory ability. We examined the relation between spatial working memory and age using a cross-sectional developmental trajectory approach in youth with and without histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Spatial Working Memory subtest was administered to children 5.0 to 16.9years old. While the controls and children with prenatal alcohol exposure showed similar performance at younger ages, larger group differences were observed in older children. This effect was replicated in a separate sample. The atypical brain development that has previously been reported in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure may have clinically relevant implications for cognitive development; however, longitudinal cognitive analyses are needed.

Gender differences in adult ADHD: Cognitive function assessed by the test of attentional performance.

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to assess cognitive differences between male and female adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).MethodsPatients with an ADHD diagnosis according to the DSM-IV guidelines were included in a cross-sectional study evaluating cognitive measures. 28 women and 41 men from ages 19 to 56 completed self-report questionnaires and performed a computer-based test of attentional performance (TAP). The TAP assesses cognitive functions highly affected in ADHD patients, including working memory, alertness and attention as well as behavioral control and response inhibition.ResultsThere were no measurable differences in self-report scales assessing current symptomology between the sexes, however men scored higher on the scale for childhood symptoms. Performance measures for general wakefulness were comparable between men and women, while working memory and behavioral control test results differed. Females reacted significantly slower and more unstable for both the TAP Go/NoGo paradigm and working memory subtest, while also making more errors in the latter.ConclusionsWe found gender-specific effects regarding working memory and behavioral control in this sample of adult patients with ADHD. Further studies are warranted, examining whether these differences relate to differences in clinical presentation and comorbidity patterns between men and women.

Funciones ejecutivas en niños escolarizados con alta y baja creatividad

Objetivo: El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar el perfil de funcionamiento ejecutivo característicoen niños creativos.&#x0D; Método: Participaron 200 niños y niñas escolarizados de la provincia de Entre Ríos, República Argentina,seleccionados por medio de un muestreo intencional. La creatividad se evaluó por medio de la pruebade figuras del Test de Pensamiento Creativo de Torrance (TTCT), Forma A y la prueba verbal CREA C,inteligencia creativa. Como medida de las Funciones Ejecutivas (FE), se emplearon diferentes pruebaspara valorar cada dominio: (1) subtest de memoria de trabajo del WISC IV; (2) Stroop, test de colores ypalabras, para inhibición; (3) WCST computarizado, para flexibilidad cognitiva reactiva y Fluidez verbal yFive Point Test para fluidez cognitiva espontánea, y (4) Laberintos de Porteus para valorar la planificación.Para estudiar perfiles de funcionamiento ejecutivo se realizaron MANCOVAS ingresando la inteligenciacomo covariable.&#x0D; Resultados: Los resultados del presente estudio sugieren la existencia de un perfil de FE en niñoscreativos en función de su desempeño en la prueba de figuras del TTCT (F de Hotelling (7, 90) = 3.404;p = .003, η2 parcial = .21) y del CREA C (F de Hotelling (7, 98) = 8.831; p &lt; .001, η2 parcial = .39).&#x0D; Conclusión: Los hallazgos del presente estudio muestran que los niños con mayor creatividad, tantoen tareas de dibujo como en tareas verbales, presentan un perfil de FE caracterizado por una mayorcapacidad de memoria de trabajo, inhibición y flexibilidad cognitiva espontánea. Sin embargo, pareceríaque la naturaleza de la tarea es un factor que podría modular la contribución de los procesos cognitivosde alto orden al potencial creativo.

Eye Tracking in Measuring the Relation of Anaphor Processing, Reading Fluency and Working Memory (WM) Capacity among University Students

This paper aimed at investigating (i) eye movement behaviour as indication of reading fluency during anaphor processing of young adults; (ii) and the relation between eye movement behaviours and Working Memory (WM) among young adults. This experiment used eye-tracking device to study the eye movements and Auditory Working Memory subtest to measure WM capacity. Tobii Eye-tracker was used to measure the movements of eyes for the participants. The results showed that young adults have similar eye movement behaviours, which were inverse typicality effect, as children. However, the score of their WC was similar to past studies whereby a larger WC capacity indicates better accessibility of resources and thus faster resolution of anaphors and antecedents. These findings were analyzed to determine the implications on the research development of eye-tracking towards students’ reading fluency during anaphor processing and its relation to working memory.

Working memory training and language outcomes in children with cochlear implants

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to provide information on whether improvements in language skills might be achieved by improving working memory capacity in cochlear-implanted children.Patients and MethodsThis study was carried out on 30 prelingual cochlear-implanted children at the Hearing and Speech Institute. They were divided into two groups: group I received communicative therapy plus a working memory training program. Group II received communicative therapy only. Post-therapy evaluation was carried out after 6 months using the Modified Preschool Language Scale-4 for assessing language and the working memory subtests measures of the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale ‘5th Arabic version‘ for the assessment of working memory.ResultsThe results of this study showed an improvement in verbal working memory capacity, nonverbal working memory capacity, and the total working memory in the group of children with cochlear implants (CIs) who received 6 months of a working memory training program in addition to communicative therapy. The findings indicate that there is an improvement in the verbal and nonverbal working memory in the participants following the training on certain tasks in the computer-based working memory training program. This will lead to an improvement in the language skills as well.ConclusionWorking memory training may improve some memory and language skills for children with CIs. As a result, interventions specifically designed to address the basic underlying verbal working memory deficits of children with CIs may be expected to have wide-ranging effects that generalize well beyond the trained working memory tasks and stimuli themselves and show transfer to nontrained language perception and memory tasks.

Impaired nonverbal working memory in high-functioning autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Past studies have documented working memory impairment in participants with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (IQ>70), but inconsistent findings have been reported. One possibility is the existence of verbal responses in the evaluation of working memory performance. The aim of the current study is to examine the working memory performance and its correlation with a prominent deficit in participants with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders by non-verbal working memory tasks compared with typically developing samples. Methods: The current study is a cross-sectional, comparative study. The working memory performance of the 30 participants with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (7-16 years) and 30 typically developing was compared by working memory subtests of the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised in Tehran, Iran. Two groups were matched for age and gender. ANOVA, ANCOVA, repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data statistically. The significance value was set at p<0.05. Results: The results showed that if the effect of FSIQ (full-scale intelligence quotient) were controlled individuals with highfunctioning Autism Spectrum Disorders exhibited significant impairment in the Reverse Memory subtest (p=0.001). Also, unpredictably Forward Memory (r=0.38, p=0.03) and Reverse Memory tasks (r=0.38, p=0.03) displayed a significant positive correlation with the Social interaction subscale of the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (Second Edition). Conclusion: It seems that nonverbal working memory is impaired in persons with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders. Results of the current study revealed that factors like complexity and cognitive load of tasks may influence working memory performance in individuals with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Parent depressive symptoms and offspring executive functioning

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Previous research has found mixed results when assessing the association between a parent’s history of depressive symptoms and a child’s abilities on measures of executive functioning. The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand upon these findings by evaluating the influence of a parent’s depressive symptoms on a young person’s executive functioning.Method: As part of a larger study, 135 children (54.8% female, aged 8–12) and one biological parent completed diagnostic screening interviews. Children then completed a brief executive functioning battery. Symptoms endorsed under the past major depressive episode module of the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used to measure depressive symptoms of parents.Results: While controlling for parent alcohol status and age, gender, intelligence, and current depressive symptoms of the child, linear regression models revealed that the parent’s depressive symptoms significantly predicted deficits in Letter–Number Sequencing [b = −0.15 (0.07), p < .05] and Motor Speed [b = −0.17 (0.05), p < .005] on the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Trails Test. Parent depressive symptoms had no relationship with inhibition on the D-KEFS Color–Word Interference Test [b = −0.04 (0.14), p = .74] or the Verbal Working Memory subtest of the Stanford–Binet [b = 0.14 (0.12) p = .43]. Greater depressive symptoms in parents were associated with fewer perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) [b = 0.73 (0.32), p < .05].Conclusion: In sum, a parent’s depressive symptomatology was differentially associated with a young person’s neurocognitive abilities. Clinical implications were discussed.