数学障碍儿童的工作记忆研究

目的：探讨数学障碍儿童的工作记忆状况。方法：采用智力测睑、成就测验、教师提名、学业成绩相结合的综合标准甑选数学障碍儿童，在长沙市三所小学随机选取4～6年级共12个班，从中抽取24名数学障碍儿童和24名学习正常儿童。采用工作记忆成套测验对2组被试进行评估。结果：数学障碍组除空间排序、空间后退以及数字划销3个分测验外，在工作记忆成套测验其它各分测验及各维度上的成绩均显著低于学习正常组（P〈0．001～0．05）。结论：数学障碍儿童工作记忆存在普遍缺陷。     

阅读困难儿童工作记忆研究的新进展

工作记忆是一种对信息进行暂时加工和贮存的能量有限的记忆系统，在许多复杂的认知活动中起重要作用。研究表明，阅读困难与工作记忆缺陷密切相关，阅读困难儿童都存在语音回路功能缺陷以及中央执行器功能等方面的缺陷。今后研究将以整体的、发展的视角，不断改进研究方法，将行为研究和神经加工机制研究相结合。进一步探明阅读困难工作记忆缺陷的深层原因。     

工作记忆、执行功能、加工速度与数学障碍儿童推理和心算能力的关系

目的：探讨工作记忆、执行功能、加工速度与数学障碍儿童推理和心算能力的关系。方法：采用智力测验、成就测验、教师提名、学业成绩相结合的综合标准甑选数学障碍儿童，在长沙市三所小学随机选取4-6年级共12个班，从中抽取24名数学障碍儿壹和24名学习正常儿童。对两组儿童进行工作记忆、执行功能、加工速度以及数字推理、图案推理和心算测验。结果：数学障碍组的工作记忆、执行功能及加工速度测验成绩均屁著低于学习正常组（P〈0．001—0．05），数学障碍组数字推理、图案推理和心算成绩也湿著低于正常组；数字推理、图案推理及心算成绩与听觉工作记忆、视觉工作记忆、执行功能和加工速度均有显著相关；逐步回归分析结果显示，进入推理能力回归方程的自变量有听觉工作记忆和视觉工作记忆；进入心算的回归方程的是听觉工作记忆和加工速度。结论：数学障碍儿童存在工作记忆、执行功能和加工速度缺陷；数学障碍儿童的推理能力低于正常学习儿童，主要可由工作记忆能力不足来解释，而心算能力低下则可由听觉工作记忆和加工速度共同解释。     

Verbal Learning and Memory in Children with Myelomeningocele

Examined verbal learning and memory in children with myelomeningoceleusing the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Participantsincluded 41 children with myelomeningocele, 8 to 15 years ofage, 33 of whom had a history of shunted hydrocephalus, and41 matched, unaffected controls. Children with myelomeningoceleand shunted hydrocephalus performed worse than controls on theCVLT. They recalled as many words as controls on the first learningtrial, but acquired words more slowly across trials, so thattheir overall recall was lower. Their learning was characterizedby a pronounced recency effect. Their delayed recall of theoriginal list was worse than controls, but not their recognition.Performance of children with myelomeningocele but without shuntswas generally not significantly different from that of the othertwo groups, although they did demonstrate better long-delayfree recall than children with shunts. Myelomeningocele is associatedwith significant retrieval problems when accompanied by shuntedhydrocephalus     

Verbal Intellectual and Verbal Memory Performance of Youths with Childhood-Onset Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Tested the hypothesis that memory dysfunction mediated the declinein verbal intellectual performance (as measured by the WISC-RVocabulary test) that we detected previously in a prospectivestudy of children who developed IDDM between the ages of 8 to13 years. Three tests of verbal learning and memory were administeredto 57 diabetic youths at end-of-study who had been followedfor 8 years, on average. Memory performance at end-of-studywas predicted only by Vocabulary test score at study entry.IDDM duration, long-term metabolic control, depression/anxiety,demographic variables, or blood glucose level at the time ofassessment were not associated with memory test scores. Stepwisemultiple regression revealed that level of performance on atest of short-term or working memory was associated with magnitudeof decline in verbal intellectual performance over time, providingpartial support for our hypothesis.     

学习障碍儿童的工作记忆研究

目的：探讨学习障碍儿童的工作记忆状况。方法：采用智力测验、成就测验、教师提名、学业成绩相结合的综合标准甑选学习障碍儿童，在长沙市三所小学随机选取4～6年级共12个班，从中抽取24名学习障碍儿童和24名学习正常儿童。采用工作记忆成套测验对2组被试进行评估。结果：学习障碍组工作记忆成套测验的各分测验得分和各维度得分均显著低于学习正常组（P〈0．004～0．05））。结论：学习障碍儿童工作记忆各成分存在普遍缺陷。     

The Roles of Verbal Short-Term Memory and Working Memory in the Acquisition of Grammar by Children With Williams Syndrome

The roles of verbal short-term and working memory were examined in a sample of children with Williams syndrome (mean chronological age 10 years, 2 months) and a sample of grammar-matched children who are developing normally. Forward digit span, nonword repetition, and backward span were all found to be correlated with receptive grammatical ability in the sample of children with Williams syndrome, but not in the sample of children who are developing normally. The relation between working memory, as measured by backward digit span, and grammatical ability was found to be significantly stronger in children with Williams syndrome than in the control group. This finding highlights the possibility that children with Williams syndrome may rely on their working memory to a greater extent than children who are developing normally to learn grammar. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated receptive vocabulary may mediate the relations among forward digit span, backward digit span, and grammatical ability for the children with Williams syndrome. Phonological short-term memory, however, contributed independently to grammatical ability even after receptive vocabulary was taken into account.     

The Roles of Verbal Short-Term Memory and Working Memory in the Acquisition of Grammar by Children With Williams Syndrome

The roles of verbal short-term and working memory were examined in a sample of children with Williams syndrome (mean chronological age 10 years, 2 months) and a sample of grammar-matched children who are developing normally. Forward digit span, nonword repetition, and backward span were all found to be correlated with receptive grammatical ability in the sample of children with Williams syndrome, but not in the sample of children who are developing normally. The relation between working memory, as measured by backward digit span, and grammatical ability was found to be significantly stronger in children with Williams syndrome than in the control group. This finding highlights the possibility that children with Williams syndrome may rely on their working memory to a greater extent than children who are developing normally to learn grammar. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated receptive vocabulary may mediate the relations among forward digit span, backward digit span, and grammatical ability for the children with Williams syndrome. Phonological short-term memory, however, contributed independently to grammatical ability even after receptive vocabulary was taken into account.     

Genetic Structure of Spatial and Verbal Working Memory

Working memory (WM) encompasses both short-term memory (storage) and executive functions that play an essential role in all forms of cognition. In this study, the genetic structure of storage and executive functions engaged in both a spatial and verbal WM span task is investigated using a twin sample. The sample consists of 143 monozygotic (MZ) and 93 dizygotic (DZ) Japanese twin pairs, ages 16 to 29 years. In 155 (87 MZ, 62 DZ) of these pairs, cognitive ability scores from the Kyodai Japanese IQ test are also obtained. The phenotypic relationship between WM and cognitive ability is confirmed (r = 0.26–0.44). Individual differences in WM storage and executive functions are found to be significantly influenced by genes, with heritability estimates all moderately high (43%–49%), and estimates for cognitive ability comparable to previous studies (65%). A large part of the genetic variance in storage and executive functions in both spatial and verbal modalities is due to a common genetic factor that accounts for 11% to 43% of the variance. In the reduced sample, this common genetic factor accounts for 64% and 26% of the variance in spatial and verbal cognitive ability, respectively. Additional genetic variance in WM (7%–30%) is due to modality specific factors (spatial and verbal) and a storage specific factor that may be particularly important for the verbal modality. None of the variance in cognitive ability is accounted for by the modality and storage genetic factors, suggesting these may be specific to WM.     

Patterns of Verbal Long-Term and Working Memory Performance Reveal Deficits in Strategic Processing in Children With Frontal Infarcts Related to Sickle Cell Disease

Frontal brain regions are thought to mediate strategic processes that facilitate memory. We hypothesized that children with frontal cerebral infarcts related to sickle cell disease (SCD) would exhibit impairments in long-term and working memory as a result of disruptions in strategic processing. Word-list learning and digit span tasks were used to assess verbal memory and strategic processing in 21 children with SCD without infarcts (controls) and in 10 children with SCD with frontal infarcts. On the word-list learning task, children with frontal infarcts performed more poorly in terms of learning and free recall, although recognition and cued recall were adequate; this pattern suggested intact encoding and storage with impaired retrieval. Children with frontal infarcts performed more poorly on backward digit span, although forward digit span was adequate; this pattern suggested intact maintenance with impaired manipulation of information in working memory. Overall, these findings support the notion that disruptions in strategic processing contribute to memory impairments in children with frontal infarcts.     

Neonatal Cerebral Abnormalities and Later Verbal and Visuospatial Working Memory Abilities of Children Born Very Preterm

As part of a prospective, longitudinal study, 103 very preterm children underwent structural magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at term equivalent age and an assessment of verbal (Digit Span) and visuospatial (Corsi Blocks) working memory at 6 years corrected age. Compared to children born full term (N = 108), very preterm children were characterized by poorer verbal and visuospatial working memory performance. Very preterm children without cerebral abnormalities performed similarly to full-term children. Verbal impairments were largely confined to children with earlier moderate-severe cerebral abnormalities, while children with mild and moderate-severe abnormalities showed greater difficulties in visuospatial working memory. Findings suggest that very preterm children may be particularly vulnerable to visuospatial impairment. They also highlight the role of early neurological disturbance in the evolution of these difficulties.     

注意缺陷多动障碍儿童精神运动功能与记忆能力

目的:探讨注意缺陷多动障碍(Attentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder,ADHD)儿童和正常儿童精神运动功能与记忆能力的差异。方法:采用1:1病例对照研究,对38例ADHD儿童和38例正常儿童进行津医精神运动成套测验(JPB)与韦氏记忆测验(部分内容)。结果:(1)ADHD组儿童JPB连接数字、符号计入及总成绩均低于对照组(51·37±14·19/57·73±7·30,44·29±7·23/49·82±7·31,336·0±42·1/359·3±43·1,t=2·47、4·64、2·55,均P<0·05);(2)ADHD儿童JPB总分显著低于全国大样本常模;(3)ADHD儿童背诵数目测试成绩显著低于对照组(9·21±3·51/11·37±3·57,t=2·61,P<0·05)。结论:ADHD儿童精神运动功能低于正常儿童,在精细运动的准确性、灵活性及协调性等方面均存在问题,其工作记忆能力受到损害。     

学习困难儿童的工作记忆研究

工作记忆是一种对信息同时进行储存和加工的容量有限的暂时记忆系统。工作记忆被认为是人类认知活动的核心 ,近年来已成为儿童学习困难研究中的焦点问题。工作记忆能力与儿童的学业成绩密切相关。不同学习困难亚型的工作记忆缺陷表现出若干不同特点。本文简要回顾近年来国外学习困难儿童工作记忆研究的主要结果 ,并对当前研究中的若干争论和分歧进行了讨论。     

非言语型学习障碍儿童社会信息加工的特点

目的: 探讨非言语型学习障碍儿童社会信息加工特点.方法: 本研究为病例对照研究.根据确定学习障碍儿童的标准,先确定学习障碍儿童,然后对学习障碍儿童进行韦氏儿童智力测验,根据测验结果把学习障碍儿童进一步分为非言语型学习障碍组(23人)、言语型学习障碍组(28人),然后按1:1比例选取对照组(51人).设置儿童与同伴、成人相互作用的三类情景,每类情景又分为模糊和清晰两种情况,对三组儿童进行结构性访谈.结果: ①清晰权威情景下.非言语型学习障碍儿童的编码数显著低于对照组儿童[(2.35±1.15)vs.(3.25±1.27),P＜0.01];对人物意图的判断,非言语型学习障碍儿童选择"恶意"的比率(65%)高于言语型学习障碍儿童(29%)(P＜0.05);在工具效能感上,非言语型学习障碍儿童选择有效的比率(74%)高于言语型学习障碍儿童(36%)(P＜0.05).②非言语型学习障儿童在每个情景故事下的总反应数都显著低于对照组儿童[模糊同伴加入情景:(1.17±0.49)vs.(1.09±0.86).P＜0.01;清晰同伴加入情景:(1.09±0.28)vs.(1.69±0.96),P＜0.01;模糊同伴激惹情景:(1.09±0.41)V8.(1.49±0.78),P＜0.05;清晰同伴激惹情景:(1.17±0.49)vs.(1.65±0.95),P＜0.05:模糊权威情景:(0.96±0.36)vs.(1.37±0.72),P＜0.01;清晰权威情景:(1.00±0.30)vs.(1.37±0.59),P＜0.01].结论: ①清晰权威情景下,非言语型学习障碍儿童编码精确性不如对照组儿童;对他人意图的判断非言语型学习障碍儿童比言语型学习障碍儿童倾向于敌意归因;非言语型学习障碍儿童比言语型学习障碍儿童工具效能感高.②在每个情景下,非言语型学习障碍儿童比对照组儿童生成策略少,反应不灵活.     

Non-Linguistic Auditory Processing and Working Memory Update in Pre-School Children Who Stutter: An Electrophysiological Study

Non-linguistic auditory processing and working memory update were examined with event-related potentials (ERPs) in 18 children who stutter (CWS) and 18 children who do not stutter (CWNS). Children heard frequent 1 kHz tones interspersed with rare 2 kHz tones. The two groups did not differ on any measure of the P1 and N1 components, strongly suggesting that early auditory processing of pure tones is unimpaired in CWS. However, as a group, only CWNS exhibited a P3 component to rare tones, suggesting that developmental stuttering may be associated with a less efficient attentional allocation and working memory update in response to auditory change.     

Learning Disabilities and Intellectual Functioning in School-Aged Children With Prenatal Cocaine Exposure

Risk for developing a learning disability (LD) or impaired intellectual functioning by age 7 was assessed in full-term children with prenatal cocaine exposure drawn from a cohort of 476 children born full term and enrolled prospectively at birth. Intellectual functioning was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Third Edition (Wechsler, 1991) short form, and academic functioning was assessed using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT; Wechsler, 1993) Screener by examiners blind to exposure status. LDs were categorized based on ability-achievement discrepancy scores, using the regression-based predicted achievement method described in the WIAT manual. The sample in this report included 409 children (212 cocaine-exposed, 197 non-cocaine-exposed) from the birth cohort with available data. Cumulative incidence proportions and relative risk values were estimated using STATA software (Statacorp, 2003). No differences were found in the estimate of relative risk for impaired intellectual functioning (IQ below 70) between children with and without prenatal cocaine exposure (estimated relative risk = .95; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.65, 1.39; p = .79). The cocaine-exposed children had 2.8 times greater risk of developing a LD by age 7 than non-cocaine-exposed children (95% CI = 1.05, 7.67; p = .038; IQ ≥ 70 cutoff). Results remained stable with adjustment for multiple child and caregiver covariates, suggesting that children with prenatal cocaine exposure are at increased risk for developing a learning disability by age 7 when compared to their non-cocaine-exposed peers.     

成人数字、词语和视空间工作记忆广度的发展特征及影响因素

目的:考察成人(18~49岁)数字、词语和视空间工作记忆广度发展变化的趋势及其影响因素。方法:采用多维记忆评估量表中的3个工作记忆广度分测验对280名正常成人进行测查,并收集一般资料。结果:成人的数字、词语和视空间广度成绩随年龄的增长均呈下降趋势(F=2.96~6.87,P<0.01);出现随龄衰减现象的先后顺序依次为视空间广度、词语广度和数字广度;在记忆广度总成绩和大多数分测验成绩上男女无显著差异,仅在30-34岁年龄组,男性视空间广度位置的成绩好于女性(11.02±3.17/8.67±3.18,t=2.15,P<0.05)。逐步回归分析结果显示,教育是成人数字、词语和视空间广度的保护因素(Beta值=0.546,0.445,0.423;P<0.01)。结论:成人阶段数字、词语和视空间工作记忆广度的发展变化基本上趋于一致,并且受教育程度能对不同的工作记忆广度起促进作用。     

经颅磁刺激对字母工作记忆影响的研究

通过改变经颅磁刺激器的刺激时间点、刺激部位及刺激频率三项参数,探讨其对字母工作记忆的影响。使用心理学实验软件E-Prime设计字母工作记忆任务,采用TMS精确导航定位系统对刺激点精确定位,分别改变三项参数对受试者进行磁刺激,记录受试者接受字母工作记忆任务时的反应时间进行分析。影响受试者字母工作记忆的主要时间点在受试者休息的间歇6 s内,主要部位在受试者的左侧前额叶背外侧,高频磁刺激与无刺激相比反应时间明显缩短,但不具有显著性差异(P>0.05)。在休息间歇6 s,高频重复磁刺激刺激受试者左侧前额叶背外侧可以提高字母工作记忆。     

注意缺陷多动障碍儿童执行功能和工作记忆特点的初步探讨

目的:探讨我国注意缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)儿童的执行功能和工作记忆特征.方法:采用修订版威斯康星卡片分类测验(WCST)和韦氏记忆量表(WMS)中代表工作记忆的分测验,对汉族57例ADHD儿童和63例正常儿童进行测试.结果:①ADHD儿童在WCST中的持续性错误数(RPE)、总错误数.(RE)、持续性反应数(RP)、完成总应答数(BA)均多于对照组儿童(26.8±10.9/22.8±10.4、57.6±18.1/49.3±18.6、30.4±13.9/25.5±12.7、127.6±1.8/122.9±11.0,P=0.040、0.015、0.046、0.001),而完成分类数(CC)、正确应答数百分比(RCP)、概念化水平(RFP)均少于对照组儿童(2.9±1.5/3.8±1.8、55.0±14.0/60.5±13.4、40.8±17.6/47.8±17.7,P=0.003、0.028、0.033);②ADHD组顺背、倒背数字,数字广度、听故事理解、数字量表、积累量表得分低于对照组(7.5±1.3/8.0±1.3、4.3±1.2/4.9±1.7、11.7±1.9/13.5±2.8、6.4±3.1/8.8±3.3、9.1±2.7/10.8±3.6、9.2±3.1/11.0±2.5,P=0.025、0.029、0.001、01000、0.011、0.002);③控制年龄后,ADHD组的故事理解粗分、理解量表分、听看故事分均与WCST的总错误数、非持续性错误呈负相关(r=-0.32～-0.43,P<0.05),与完成分类数、正确应答数、正确应答数百分比、概念化水平呈正相关(r=0.32～0.39,P<0.05).结论:ADHD儿童存在执行功能、工作记忆等神经心理学功能缺陷,ADHD儿童的语音信息工作记忆存在缺陷;ADHD儿童的WCST成绩差与工作记忆能力缺陷有关.