title: Better working memory for non-social targets in infant siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: We compared working memory (WM) for the location of social versus non-social targets in infant siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (sibs-ASD, n = 25) and of typically developing children (sibs-TD, n = 30) at 6.5 and 9 months of age. There was a significant interaction of risk group and target type on WM, in which the sibs-ASD had better WM for non-social targets as compared with controls. There was no group by stimulus interaction on two non-memory measures. The results suggest that the increased competency of sibs-ASD in WM (creating, updating and using transient representations) for non-social stimuli distinguishes them from sibs-TD by 9 months of age. This early emerging strength is discussed as a developmental pathway that may have implications for social attention and learning in children at risk for ASD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody, Box #552, 230 Appleton Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203-5701, USA. julia.noland@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Noland
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steven Reznick
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Tedra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walden
authors.forename: Elisabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Sheridan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology*; D012919:Social Behavior