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D'Aurizio G, Di Pompeo I, Passarello N, Troisi Lopez E, Sorrentino P, Curcio G, Mandolesi L. Visuospatial working memory abilities in children analyzed by the bricks game task (BGT). PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:2111-2119. [PMID: 36800010 PMCID: PMC9936130 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01803-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
The study of the development of visuospatial memory processes is useful for devising personalized educational interventions as well as for understanding the changes in cognitive functioning in an era characterized by technological progress. The present research is aimed at investigating spatial working memory ability in children that attended the first three years of primary school by means of the Brick Game Task (BGT), a novel visuospatial working memory test. BGT is a small-scale ecological test inspired by behavioral walking tasks with nine white bricks in different spatial configurations as well as to Corsi Block-Tapping test.228 Italian children (121 F; mean age: 7.22 ± 1.18) were assigned to three groups based on the primary school class attended: Group 1 (N = 85; 40 F; mean age 6.18 ± .5), Group 2 (N = 61; 36 F; mean age 7.2 ± .83), and Group 3 (N = 82; 44 F; mean age 8.32 ± .94). All participants were asked to complete the Digit Span test, the Corsi Block-Tapping test, and to explore the three spatial configurations of the BGT with the form of Matrix, M-BGT, Cluster, CL-BGT, Cross, CR-BGT.MANOVA revealed a main significant effect for Group (F12,434 = 15.06; p < .0001) indicating that the group of older obtained a better global executive performance than 1 and 2 groups. Multiple linear regression indicated that Corsi Block-Tapping test performance and Age significantly predicted the M-BGT score. Moreover, Corsi Block-Tapping test and Digit Span significantly predicted the CL-BGT performance, showing how a higher score results in a better CL- BGT performance. Finally, Corsi Block-Tapping test, Digit Span, and Age were positively associated with the CR- BGT performance. The present findings evidenced that novel BGT is a sensible visuospatial working memory task suggesting thus its use to assess the children's executive performance in ecological way. These results open to the development of personalized educational interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- G D'Aurizio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio - Loc. Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - I Di Pompeo
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio - Loc. Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - N Passarello
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - E Troisi Lopez
- Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University of Naples "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - P Sorrentino
- Institut de Neurosciences Des Systemès, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - G Curcio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio - Loc. Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy.
| | - L Mandolesi
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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2
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Palombi T, Galli F, Giancamilli F, D'Amico M, Alivernini F, Gallo L, Neroni P, Predazzi M, De Pietro G, Lucidi F, Giordano A, Chirico A. The role of sense of presence in expressing cognitive abilities in a virtual reality task: an initial validation study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13396. [PMID: 37591908 PMCID: PMC10435488 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40510-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a raised interest in literature to use Virtual Reality (VR) technology as an assessment tool for cognitive domains. One of the essential advantages of transforming tests in an immersive virtual environment is the possibility of automatically calculating the test's score, a time-consuming process under natural conditions. Although the characteristics of VR can deliver different degrees of immersion in a virtual environment, the sense of presence could jeopardize the evolution of these practices. The sense of presence results from a complex interaction between human, contextual factors, and the VR environment. The present study has two aims: firstly, it contributes to the validation of a virtual version of the naturalistic action test (i.e., virtual reality action test); second, it aims to evaluate the role of sense of presence as a critical booster of the expression of cognitive abilities during virtual reality tasks. The study relies on healthy adults tested in virtual and real conditions in a cross-over research design. The study's results support the validity of the virtual reality action test. Furthermore, two structural equation models are tested to comprehend the role of sense of presence as a moderator in the relationship between cognitive abilities and virtual task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Palombi
- Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Galli
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome, Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Giancamilli
- Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica D'Amico
- Department of Clinical Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Alivernini
- Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Gallo
- Institute for High-Performance Computing and Networking, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Neroni
- Institute for High-Performance Computing and Networking, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe De Pietro
- Institute for High-Performance Computing and Networking, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabio Lucidi
- Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Andrea Chirico
- Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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Development of Landmark Use for Navigation in Children: Effects of Age, Sex, Working Memory and Landmark Type. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060776. [PMID: 35741661 PMCID: PMC9221540 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of landmarks for navigation develops throughout childhood. Here, we examined the developmental trajectory of egocentric and allocentric navigation based on landmark information in an on-screen virtual environment in 39 5–6-year-olds, 43 7–8-year-olds, and 41 9–10-year-olds. We assessed both categorical performance, indicating the notion of location changes based on the landmarks, as well as metrical performance relating to the precision of the representation of the environment. We investigated whether age, sex, spatial working memory, verbal working memory, and verbal production of left and right contributed to the development of navigation skills. In egocentric navigation, Categorical performance was already above chance at 5 years of age and was positively related to visuo-spatial working memory and the production of left/right, whereas metrical performance was only related to age. Allocentric navigation started to develop between 5 and 8 years of age and was related to sex, with boys outperforming girls. Both boys and girls seemed to rely more on directional landmark information as compared to positional landmark information. To our knowledge, this study is the first to give insight into the relative contribution of different cognitive abilities to navigation skills in school-aged children.
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Application of Real and Virtual Radial Arm Maze Task in Human. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12040468. [PMID: 35447999 PMCID: PMC9027137 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12040468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) emerges as a promising technology capable of creating different scenarios in which the body, environment, and brain are closely related, proving enhancements in the diagnosis and treatment of several spatial memory deficits. In recent years, human spatial navigation has increasingly been studied in interactive virtual environments. However, navigational tasks are still not completely adapted in immersive 3D VR systems. We stipulate that an immersive Radial Arm Maze (RAM) is an excellent instrument, allowing the participants to be physically active within the maze exactly as in the walking RAM version in reality modality. RAM is a behavioral ecological task that allows the analyses of different facets of spatial memory, distinguishing declarative components from procedural ones. In addition to describing the characteristics of RAM, we will also analyze studies in which RAM has been used in virtual modality to provide suggestions into RAM building in immersive modality.
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Serra L, Raimondi S, di Domenico C, Maffei S, Lardone A, Liparoti M, Sorrentino P, Caltagirone C, Petrosini L, Mandolesi L. The beneficial effects of physical exercise on visuospatial working memory in preadolescent children. AIMS Neurosci 2021; 8:496-509. [PMID: 34877401 PMCID: PMC8611191 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2021026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between physical exercise and improvement in specific cognitive domains in children and adolescents who play sport has been recently reported, although the effects on visuospatial abilities have not yet been well explored. This study is aimed at evaluating in school-age children practicing artistic gymnastics the visuospatial memory by using a table version of the Radial Arm Maze (table-RAM) and comparing their performances with those ones who do not play any sport. The visuospatial performances of 14 preadolescent girls practicing artistic gymnastics aged between 7 and 10 years and those of 14 preadolescent girls not playing any sport were evaluated in the table-RAM forced-choice paradigm that allows disentangling short-term memory from working memory abilities. Data showed that the gymnasts obtained better performances than control group mainly in the parameters evaluating working memory abilities, such as within-phase errors and spatial span. Our findings emphasizing the role of physical activity on cognitive performances impel to promote physical exercise in educational and recreational contexts as well as to analyse the impact of other sports besides gymnastics on cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Serra
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Raimondi
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Maffei
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Lardone
- Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - Marianna Liparoti
- Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Sorrentino
- Institute de Neurosciences Des Systèmes, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France Department of Engineering, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Department of Clinical and Behavioural Neurology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Petrosini
- Laboratory of Experimental and Behavioural Neurophysiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Mandolesi
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Morawietz C, Muehlbauer T. Effects of Physical Exercise Interventions on Spatial Orientation in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Scoping Review. Front Sports Act Living 2021; 3:664640. [PMID: 34222859 PMCID: PMC8247469 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2021.664640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Regular physical exercise plays an integral part in the psychomotor and psychosocial development of children and adolescents, with complex motor and cognitive processes closely linked. Spatial abilities, one aspect of cognitive functioning start to evolve from earliest childhood and reach adult-like levels by early adolescence. As they have been associated with good spatial orientation, wayfinding, map-reading skills, problem solving or analyzing spatial information, these skills facilitate independence and autonomy while growing up. Despite promising results, only few studies investigate this relation between physical exercise and spatial abilities. To use this benefit and develop purposive physical exercise interventions, it is essential to summarize the current evidence. Objectives: This literature review aims to systematically summarize findings regarding the impact of physical exercise interventions on spatial abilities in healthy children and adolescents and identify knowledge gaps. Methods: A systematic search of the literature according to the PRISMA guidelines was conducted on the databases Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SportDiscus, and PsycInfo from their inception date till March 2021. Additionally, Google Scholar and refence lists of relevant publications were searched. A descriptive analysis of results was conducted. Results: The literature search identified a total of N = 1,215 records, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this review. A total of 621 participants aged 4 to 15 years participated in the studies. Exercise interventions included sport-specific activities, motor-coordinative exercises, high-intensity functional training or spatial orientation/navigation training. Five studies evaluated training effects on mental rotation performance (i.e., Mental Rotation Test), four studies investigated visuo-spatial working memory function/spatial memory (i.e., Corsi Block Test, Virtual Reality Morris Water Maze) and two studies tested spatial orientation capacity (i.e., Orientation-Running Test). Overall, results show a potential for improvement of spatial abilities through physical exercise interventions. However, keeping the diversity of study designs, populations and outcomes in mind, findings need to be interpreted with care. Conclusions: Despite growing interest on the effects of physical exercise interventions on spatial abilities and promising findings of available studies, evidence to date remains limited. Future research is needed to establish how spatial ability development of healthy children and adolescents can be positively supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Morawietz
- Division of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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Fernandez‐Baizan C, Arias JL, Mendez M. Egocentric and allocentric spatial memory in young children: A comparison with young adults. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Fernandez‐Baizan
- Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) 33003 Oviedo Spain
- Department of Psychology University of Oviedo 33003 Oviedo Spain
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) 33003 Oviedo Spain
- Department of Psychology University of Oviedo 33003 Oviedo Spain
| | - Marta Mendez
- Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) 33003 Oviedo Spain
- Department of Psychology University of Oviedo 33003 Oviedo Spain
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8
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Somma F, Bartolomeo P, Vallone F, Argiuolo A, Cerrato A, Miglino O, Mandolesi L, Zurlo MC, Gigliotta O. Further to the Left: Stress-Induced Increase of Spatial Pseudoneglect During the COVID-19 Lockdown. Front Psychol 2021; 12:573846. [PMID: 33746815 PMCID: PMC7977289 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.573846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The measures taken to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, such as the lockdown in Italy, do impact psychological health; yet, less is known about their effect on cognitive functioning. The transactional theory of stress predicts reciprocal influences between perceived stress and cognitive performance. However, the effects of a period of stress due to social isolation on spatial cognition and exploration have been little examined. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on spatial cognition tasks, particularly those concerning spatial exploration, and the physiological leftward bias known as pseudoneglect. A right-hemisphere asymmetry for spatial attention processes crucially contributes to pseudoneglect. Other evidence indicates a predominantly right-hemisphere activity in stressful situations. We also analyzed the effects of lockdown on coping strategies, which typically show an opposite pattern of hemispheric asymmetry, favoring the left hemisphere. If so, then pseudoneglect should increase during the lockdown and be negatively correlated with the efficacy of coping strategies. METHODS One week before the start of the lockdown due to COVID-19 in Italy (T1), we had collected data from a battery of behavioral tests including tasks of peri-personal spatial cognition. During the quarantine period, from late April to early May 2020 (T2), we repeated the testing sessions with a subgroup of the same participants (47 right-handed students, mean age = 20, SD = 1.33). At both testing sessions, participants performed digitized neuropsychological tests, including a Cancellation task, Radial Arm Maze task, and Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices. Participants also completed a newly developed COVID-19 Student Stress Scale, based on transactional models of stress, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced-New Italian Version (COPE-NIV) to assess coping orientation. RESULTS The tendency to start cancelation from a left-sided item, to explore first a left-sided arm of the maze, and to choose erroneous response items on the left side of the page on Raven's matrices increased from T1 to T2. The degree of pseudoneglect increment positively correlated with perceived stress and negatively correlated with Positive Attitude and Problem-Solving COPE-NIV subscales. CONCLUSION Lockdown-related stress may have contributed to increase leftward bias during quarantine through a greater activation of the right hemisphere. On the other hand, pseudoneglect was decreased for better coping participants, perhaps as a consequence of a more balanced hemispheric activity in these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Somma
- Natural and Artificial Cognition Laboratory, Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Bartolomeo
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Federica Vallone
- Dynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonietta Argiuolo
- Natural and Artificial Cognition Laboratory, Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Cerrato
- Natural and Artificial Cognition Laboratory, Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Orazio Miglino
- Natural and Artificial Cognition Laboratory, Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Mandolesi
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Clelia Zurlo
- Dynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Onofrio Gigliotta
- Natural and Artificial Cognition Laboratory, Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Foti F, Sorrentino P, Menghini D, Montuori S, Pesoli M, Turriziani P, Vicari S, Petrosini L, Mandolesi L. Peripersonal Visuospatial Abilities in Williams Syndrome Analyzed by a Table Radial Arm Maze Task. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:254. [PMID: 32848661 PMCID: PMC7396499 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic deletion syndrome characterized by severe visuospatial deficits affecting spatial exploration and navigation abilities in extra-personal space.To date, little is known about spatial elaboration and reaching abilities in the peripersonal space in individuals with WS. The present study is aimed at evaluating the visuospatial abilities in individuals with WS and comparing their performances with those of mental age-matched typically developing (TD) children by using a highly sensitive ecological version of the Radial Arm Maze (table RAM). We evaluated 15 individuals with WS and 15 TD children in two different table RAM paradigms: the free-choice paradigm, mainly to analyze the aspects linked to procedural and memory components, and the forced-choice paradigm, to disentangle the components linked to spatial working memory from the procedural ones.Data show that individuals with WS made significantly more working memory errors as compared with TD children, thus evidencing a marked deficit in resolving the task when the mnesic load increased. Our findings provide new insights on the cognitive profile of WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Foti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Deny Menghini
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Neuroscience Department, "Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù", Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Montuori
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Parthenope University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Matteo Pesoli
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Parthenope University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Patrizia Turriziani
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Petrosini
- Laboratory of Experimental and Behavioural Neurophysiology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Mandolesi
- Department of Humanistic Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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10
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Zimmermann L, Frank HE, Subiaul F, Barr R. Applying computational modeling to assess age-, sex-, and strategy-related differences in Spin the Pots, a working memory task for 2- to 4-year-olds. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:42-53. [PMID: 32729131 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) develops rapidly during early childhood. In the present study, visual WM (VSM) was measured using the well-established Spin the Pots task (Hughes & Ensor, 2005), a complex non-verbal eight-location object occlusion task. A self-ordered hiding procedure was adopted to allow for an examination of children's strategy use during a VWM task. Participants (N = 640) between the ages of 2 and 4 years were tested under semi-naturalistic conditions, in the home or in a museum. Computational modeling was used to estimate an expected value for the total trials to complete Spin the Pots via a random search and child performance was compared to expected values. Based on this approach, we determined that children who found six stickers retrieved them in significantly fewer trials than the expected value, excluding chance performance and implicating VWM. Results also showed age-related and sex-related changes in VWM. Between 2 and 4 years of age, 4-year-olds performed significantly better than younger children and girls out-performed the boys. Spontaneous use of a color matching hiding strategy was associated with a higher success rate on the task. Implications of these findings for early development of VWM are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Zimmermann
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Hannah E Frank
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Francys Subiaul
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,Institute for Neuroscience and Mind-Brain Institute, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Rachel Barr
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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11
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Fernandez-Baizan C, Nuñez P, Arias JL, Mendez M. Egocentric and allocentric spatial memory in typically developed children: Is spatial memory associated with visuospatial skills, behavior, and cortisol? Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01532. [PMID: 32170996 PMCID: PMC7218242 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spatial orientation relies mainly on two frameworks. The egocentric depends on our own position and point of view. The allocentric relies on remembering, recalling, and recognizing environmental stimuli called landmarks. The aim of this study was to analyze the egocentric and allocentric spatial memory performance in children of different ages using two experimental memory card-placing tasks. We also aimed to examine relationships between spatial memory and other cognitive, physiological, and behavioral factors that, potentially, could be associated with spatial memory performance. Those were other visuospatial functions, the regular behavior of the child, cortisol levels, and daily life spatial memory. METHODS We assessed 62 children (5, 6, and 7 years) using card-placing tasks. We used RIST for IQ evaluation and subtest from NEPSY-II for visuospatial ability assessment. Collection of saliva sample was carried out for cortisol analysis. Parents completed BASC questionnaire for behavioral evaluation and ECM-Q questionnaire for daily life spatial memory evaluation. RESULTS Our results showed that older children performed better on mental rotation. Directionality, map interpretation, and daily memory were directly associated with both egocentric and allocentric orientation. Egocentric performance was positively related to leadership abilities but negatively to depression and atypicality, while allocentric performance was directly associated with adaptive behavior but inversely with hyperactivity. Finally, cortisol values were positively associated with allocentric performance. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows the development of different spatial abilities between 5 and 7 years, as well as the relationship between orientation performance, visuospatial skills, behavior, and cortisol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Fernandez-Baizan
- Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.,Faculty of Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Paula Nuñez
- Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.,Faculty of Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Marta Mendez
- Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.,Faculty of Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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12
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Fernandez-Baizan C, Arias JL, Mendez M. Spatial orientation assessment in preschool children: Egocentric and allocentric frameworks. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-CHILD 2019; 10:171-193. [PMID: 31268354 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2019.1630278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Spatial orientation is an important function in daily life because it allows us to reach a target place when moving through our environment, using self-centered (egocentric) or environmental information (allocentric). Compared to other cognitive functions, spatial orientation has been studied less in preschool ages. Some brain areas, such as the hippocampus and the temporal as well as the parietal and frontal cortices, are involved in spatial orientation. Therefore, when these brain regions are altered in neurological conditions or in atypical development in children, we would expect impairment of spatial abilities. The aim of this study is to review studies, published in recent years, that use egocentric and allocentric spatial orientation tasks for assessing spatial memory in preschool children, with the final goal of finding out which tests could be included in a clinical neuropsychological evaluation. We observed that although egocentric spatial orientation emerges first during development, allocentric spatial orientation tasks are employed at very early ages. Most of these tasks are performed in real environments, allowing children's self-movements and using environmental modifications, but technologies such as virtual or augmented reality are increasingly used. Other aspects are discussed, such as the lack of consensus in the nomenclature, the difficulty of tracing the course of development of spatial orientation, or the ecological validity of the tests used. We finally observed that there is greater interest in studying the allocentric framework than the egocentric one, which makes it difficult to compare the use of the two frames of reference during a neuropsychological evaluation in preschool-aged children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Fernandez-Baizan
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Marta Mendez
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
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13
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Sorrentino P, Lardone A, Pesoli M, Liparoti M, Montuori S, Curcio G, Sorrentino G, Mandolesi L, Foti F. The Development of Spatial Memory Analyzed by Means of Ecological Walking Task. Front Psychol 2019; 10:728. [PMID: 30984092 PMCID: PMC6450422 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study is aimed at investigating the development of spatial memory in pre-school children aged 4–6 years using an ecological walking task with multiple rewards. The participants were to explore an open space in order to find nine rewards placed in buckets arranged in three spatial configurations: a Cross, a 3 × 3 Matrix, and a Cluster composed of three groups of three buckets each. Clear age-related improvements were evident in all the parameters analyzed. In fact, there was a general trend for younger children to display worse performance than the older ones. Moreover, males performed better than females in both the search efficiency and visiting all buckets. Additionally, the search efficiency proved to be a function of the difficulty of the configuration to be explored: the Matrix and Cluster configurations were easier to explore than the Cross configuration. Taken altogether, the present findings suggest that there is a general improvement in the spatial memory abilities in preschoolers and that solving an open space task could be influenced by gender. Moreover, it can be proposed that both the procedural competences and the memory load requested to explore a specific environment are determined by its specific features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierpaolo Sorrentino
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Lardone
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Matteo Pesoli
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Marianna Liparoti
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Simone Montuori
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curcio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sorrentino
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, Naples, Italy.,Istituto di Diagnosi e Cura Hermitage Capodimonte, Naples, Italy.,Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Mandolesi
- Department of Humanistic Studies, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Foti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Università degli studi Magna Græcia di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
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14
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Foti F, Martone D, Orrù S, Montuori S, Imperlini E, Buono P, Petrosini L, Mandolesi L. Are young children able to learn exploratory strategies by observation? PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2017; 82:1212-1223. [PMID: 28725993 PMCID: PMC6132659 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-017-0896-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
New competencies may be learned through active experience (experiential learning or learning by doing) or observation of others' experiences (learning by observation). Observing another person performing a complex action facilitates the observer's acquisition of the same action. The present research is aimed at analyzing if the observation of specific explorative strategies adopted in a constrained environment, such as the Radial Arm Maze (RAM), could help young children to explore the maze and to build a cognitive spatial map of the explored environment. To this aim young children were randomly assigned to three groups: children who performed the RAM task following the observation of an actor solving the same maze by putting into action a highly structured exploratory strategy; children who performed the RAM task following the observation of the actor solving the same maze by putting into action a less structured exploratory strategy; children who directly performed the RAM task without any observation. The main result of the present research is that the children who observed the highly structured and correct exploratory strategy spent less time, made fewer errors, exhibited a longer spatial span, and thus they explored the maze more efficiently than the children who directly performed the RAM task without any observation. This finding indicates that when the observed explorative procedure is structured, sequential and repetitive the action understanding and information storage processes are more effective. Importantly, the observation of specific spatial strategies helped the children to build the cognitive spatial map of the explored environment and consequently to acquire/enrich the declarative knowledge of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Foti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Martone
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Orrù
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy
| | - Simone Montuori
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Pasqualina Buono
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Petrosini
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143, Rome, Italy.,Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Mandolesi
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143, Rome, Italy. .,Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University "Parthenope", Naples, Italy. .,Department of Motor Science and Wellbeing, University "Parthenope", Via Medina, 40, 80133, Naples, Italy.
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15
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Bertholet L, Escobar MT, Depré M, Chavan CF, Giuliani F, Gisquet-Verrier P, Preissmann D, Schenk F. Spatial radial maze procedures and setups to dissociate local and distal relational spatial frameworks in humans. J Neurosci Methods 2015; 253:126-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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16
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Foti F, Menghini D, Petrosini L, Vicari S, Valerio G, Orlandi E, Crinò A, Spera S, De Bartolo P, Mandolesi L. Explorative function in Prader-Willi syndrome analyzed through an ecological spatial task. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2015; 38:97-107. [PMID: 25575283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study was aimed at evaluating the spatial abilities in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) by using an ecological large-scale task with multiple rewards. To evaluate the extent of spatial deficit in PWS individuals, we compare their performances with those of individuals with Williams Syndrome (WS) in which the spatial deficits have been widely described. Participants had to explore an open space to search nine rewards placed in buckets arranged according to three spatial configurations: a Cross, a 3×3 Matrix and a Cluster composed by three groups of three buckets each. PWS individuals exhibited an explorative deficit in Cluster and Cross configurations, while WS participants in Matrix and Cross configurations. The findings indicate that the structural affordances of the environment influence the explorative strategies and can be related to how spatial information is processed.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Foti
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza", Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (CERC), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - D Menghini
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, "Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù", Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - L Petrosini
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza", Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (CERC), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - S Vicari
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, "Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù", Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - G Valerio
- Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University "Parthenope", Via Medina 40, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - E Orlandi
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, "Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù", Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - A Crinò
- Pediatric and Autoimmune Endocrine Disease Unit, "Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù", Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Fiumicino (Rome), Italy
| | - S Spera
- Pediatric and Autoimmune Endocrine Disease Unit, "Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù", Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Fiumicino (Rome), Italy
| | - P De Bartolo
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (CERC), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143 Rome, Italy; Faculty of Formation Science, University "Guglielmo Marconi", Via Plinio 44, 00193 Rome, Italy
| | - L Mandolesi
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation (CERC), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143 Rome, Italy; Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University "Parthenope", Via Medina 40, 80133 Naples, Italy.
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17
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Packard MG, Goodman J. Factors that influence the relative use of multiple memory systems. Hippocampus 2014; 23:1044-52. [PMID: 23929809 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Neurobehavioral evidence supports the existence of at least two anatomically distinct "memory systems" in the mammalian brain that mediate dissociable types of learning and memory; a "cognitive" memory system dependent upon the hippocampus and a "stimulus-response/habit" memory system dependent upon the dorsolateral striatum. Several findings indicate that despite their anatomical and functional distinctiveness, hippocampal- and dorsolateral striatal-dependent memory systems may potentially interact and that, depending on the learning situation, this interaction may be cooperative or competitive. One approach to examining the neural mechanisms underlying these interactions is to consider how various factors influence the relative use of multiple memory systems. The present review examines several such factors, including information compatibility, temporal sequence of training, the visual sensory environment, reinforcement parameters, emotional arousal, and memory modulatory systems. Altering these parameters can lead to selective enhancements of either hippocampal-dependent or dorsolateral striatal-dependent memory, and bias animals toward the use of either cognitive or habit memory in dual-solution tasks that may be solved adequately with either memory system. In many learning situations, the influence of such experimental factors on the relative use of memory systems likely reflects a competitive interaction between the systems. Research examining how various factors influence the relative use of multiple memory systems may be a useful method for investigating how these systems interact with one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G Packard
- Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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18
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Goodman J, Marsh R, Peterson BS, Packard MG. Annual research review: The neurobehavioral development of multiple memory systems--implications for childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2014; 55:582-610. [PMID: 24286520 PMCID: PMC4244838 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Extensive evidence indicates that mammalian memory is organized into multiple brains systems, including a 'cognitive' memory system that depends on the hippocampus and a stimulus-response 'habit' memory system that depends on the dorsolateral striatum. Dorsal striatal-dependent habit memory may in part influence the development and expression of some human psychopathologies, particularly those characterized by strong habit-like behavioral features. The present review considers this hypothesis as it pertains to psychopathologies that typically emerge during childhood and adolescence. These disorders include Tourette syndrome, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and autism spectrum disorders. Human and nonhuman animal research shows that the typical development of memory systems comprises the early maturation of striatal-dependent habit memory and the relatively late maturation of hippocampal-dependent cognitive memory. We speculate that the differing rates of development of these memory systems may in part contribute to the early emergence of habit-like symptoms in childhood and adolescence. In addition, abnormalities in hippocampal and striatal brain regions have been observed consistently in youth with these disorders, suggesting that the aberrant development of memory systems may also contribute to the emergence of habit-like symptoms as core pathological features of these illnesses. Considering these disorders within the context of multiple memory systems may help elucidate the pathogenesis of habit-like symptoms in childhood and adolescence, and lead to novel treatments that lessen the habit-like behavioral features of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarid Goodman
- The Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Rachel Marsh
- The MRI Unit and Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry, the New York State Psychiatric Institute and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bradley S. Peterson
- The MRI Unit and Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry, the New York State Psychiatric Institute and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark G. Packard
- The Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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19
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Development of memory for spatial locations and object/place associations in infant rhesus macaques with and without neonatal hippocampal lesions. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2013; 19:1053-64. [PMID: 23880255 PMCID: PMC4112569 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617713000799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This study traces the development of spatial memory abilities in monkeys and reports the effects of selective neonatal hippocampal lesions on performance across development. Two different versions of the visual paired-comparison (VPC) task were used. The VPC-Spatial-Location task tested memory for object-locations that could be solved using an egocentric spatial frame of reference and the VPC-Object-In-Place task taxed memory for spatial relations using an allocentric reference frame. Eleven rhesus macaques (6 neonatal sham-operated controls and 5 with neonatal neurotoxic hippocampal lesions) were tested on both tasks as infants (8 months), juveniles (18 months), and adults (5-6 years). Memory for spatial locations was present by 18 months of age, whereas memory for object-place relations was present only in adulthood. Also, neonatal hippocampal lesions delayed the emergence of memory for spatial locations and abolished memory for object-place associations, particularly in animals that had sustained extensive and bilateral hippocampal lesions. The differential developmental time course of spatial memory functions and of the effects of neonatal hippocampal lesions on these functions are discussed in relation to morphological maturation of the medial temporal lobe structures in monkeys. Implications of the findings for the neural basis of spatial memory development in humans are also considered.
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Ribordy F, Jabès A, Banta Lavenex P, Lavenex P. Development of allocentric spatial memory abilities in children from 18 months to 5 years of age. Cogn Psychol 2012; 66:1-29. [PMID: 23037305 DOI: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2012.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Revised: 08/02/2012] [Accepted: 08/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Episodic memories for autobiographical events that happen in unique spatiotemporal contexts are central to defining who we are. Yet, before 2 years of age, children are unable to form or store episodic memories for recall later in life, a phenomenon known as infantile amnesia. Here, we studied the development of allocentric spatial memory, a fundamental component of episodic memory, in two versions of a real-world memory task requiring 18 month- to 5-year-old children to search for rewards hidden beneath cups distributed in an open-field arena. Whereas children 25-42-months-old were not capable of discriminating three reward locations among 18 possible locations in absence of local cues marking these locations, children older than 43 months found the reward locations reliably. These results support previous findings suggesting that allocentric spatial memory, if present, is only rudimentary in children under 3.5 years of age. However, when tested with only one reward location among four possible locations, children 25-39-months-old found the reward reliably in absence of local cues, whereas 18-23-month-olds did not. Our findings thus show that the ability to form a basic allocentric representation of the environment is present by 2 years of age, and its emergence coincides temporally with the offset of infantile amnesia. However, the ability of children to distinguish and remember closely related spatial locations improves from 2 to 3.5 years of age, a developmental period marked by persistent deficits in long-term episodic memory known as childhood amnesia. These findings support the hypothesis that the differential maturation of distinct hippocampal circuits contributes to the emergence of specific memory processes during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farfalla Ribordy
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Foti F, Menghini D, Petrosini L, Valerio G, Crinò A, Vicari S, Grimaldi T, Mandolesi L. Spatial Competences in Prader–Willi Syndrome: A Radial Arm Maze Study. Behav Genet 2011; 41:445-56. [DOI: 10.1007/s10519-011-9471-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2010] [Accepted: 04/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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