title: Memory abilities in Williams syndrome: dissociation or developmental delay hypothesis?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. adriana.sampaio@iep.uminho.pt
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Férnandez
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Oscar F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008568:Memory / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012016:Reference Values; D018980:Williams Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*