Memory, language and intellectual ability in low-functioning autism

Boucher, Jill; Mayes, Andrew R.; Bigham, Sally

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511490101.016

Cited by 41 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Boucher et al 2008 , Table 14.1), linguistic isolates who were not exposed to syntactic language before the end of the critical period (Emmorey et al 1993;Martin 2009;Martin et al 2013;Pyers et al 2010), and patients with damage to their lateral PFC or frontoparietal connections (Ditunno and Mann 1990;Gläscher et al 2009;Heremans et al 2012;Kosslyn et al 1985).…”

Section: The "Mental Rotation and Modification Of Object's Location Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurobiological mechanisms for nonverbal IQ tests: implications for instruction of nonverbal children with autism

Vyshedskiy¹,

Dunn²,

Piryatinsky³

2017

RIO

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Traditionally, the neurological correlates of IQ test questions are characterized qualitatively in terms of 'control of attention' and 'working memory.' In this report we attempt to characterize each IQ test question quantitatively by two factors: a) the number of disparate objects that have to be imagined in concert in order to solve the problem and, b) the amount of recruited posterior cortex territory. With such a classification, an IQ test can be understood on a neuronal level and a subject's IQ score could be interpreted in terms of specific neurological mechanisms available to the subject.Here we present the results of an analysis of the three most popular nonverbal IQ tests: Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI-4), Standard Raven's Progressive Matrices, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V). Our analysis shows that approximately half of all questions (52±0.02%) are limited to mental computations involving only a single object; these easier questions are found towards the beginning of each test. More difficult questions located towards the end of each test rely on mental synthesis of several disparate objects and the number of objects involved in computations gradually increases with question difficulty. These more challenging questions require the organization of wider posterior cortex networks by the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC). This conclusion is in line with neuroimaging studies showing that activation level of the lateral PFC and the posterior cortex positively correlates with task difficulty. This analysis has direct implications for brain pathophysiology and, specifically, for therapeutic interventions for children with language impairment, most notably for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders. Keywords AbbreviationsNOB score = number of objects score PCT score = posterior cortex territory score

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Section: The "Mental Rotation and Modification Of Object's Location Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurobiological mechanisms for nonverbal IQ tests: implications for instruction of nonverbal children with autism

Vyshedskiy¹,

Dunn²,

Piryatinsky³

2017

RIO

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“…Boucher and colleagues (Boucher et al, 2008a(Boucher et al, , 2008bBoucher & Mayes, 2011) have hypothesized that the more extensive declarative impairments in M-LFA as compared to HFA result from impaired familiarity additional to impaired recollection. Impaired familiarity would mainly affect semantic as opposed to episodic memory, which could explain the failure to process verbal meaning, first noted by Hermelin and O'Connor (1970).…”

Section: Explaining the Differences Between Memory Profiles In Hfa Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

Memory in autistic spectrum disorder.

Boucher¹,

Mayes²,

Bigham³

2012

Psychological Bulletin

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175

189

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This is the accepted version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Behavioral evidence concerning memory in high-functioning forms of autism (HFA) and in moderately low-functioning autism (M-LFA) is reviewed and compared. Findings on M-LFA are sparse. However, it is provisionally concluded that memory profiles in HFA and M-LFA (relative to ability-matched controls) are similar, but that declarative memory impairments are more extensive in M-LFA than in HFA. Specifically, both groups have diminished memory for emotion-or person-related stimuli. Regarding memory for non-social stimuli, both groups probably have mental-age appropriate nondeclarative memory; and within declarative memory, both groups have mental-age appropriate immediate free recall of within-span or supra-span lists of unrelated items, as well as cued recall and paired associate learning. By contrast, recognition is largely unimpaired in HFA but moderately impaired in M-LFA; and free recall of meaningful or structured stimuli is moderately impaired in HFA but more severely impaired in M-LFA. Permanent repository link:Theoretical explanations of data on declarative memory in HFA identify problems in the integrative processing, or the consolidation and storage, of complex stimuli; or a specific problem of recollection. Proposed neural substrates include the following: disconnectivity of primary sensory and association areas; dysfunctions of medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus or posterior parietal lobe; or combinations of these associated with neural disconnectivity.Hypothetically, perirhinal dysfunction might explain the more extensive declarative memory impairments in M-LFA. Foreseeable consequences of uneven memory abilities in HFA and M-LFA are outlined, including possible effects on language and learning in M-LFA. Finally, priorities for future research are identified, highlighting the urgent need for research on memory in lower-functioning individuals. "It is impossible to separate the study of memory from that of autism" DeLong (2003, p. 741) Memory and learning are inseparable, and congenital or early acquired anomalies of memory will affect how and what an individual learns, which will in turn affect the course and outcomes of behavioral and brain development, including the ways in which an individual experiences and responds to the external world.It is well established that certain memory impairments are present in all individuals with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) (Boucher & Bowler, 2008). It is less clear, however, what differences there may be in the range and severity of memory impairments across the spectrum, from linguistically and intellectually able individuals with Asperger syndrome; through those high-functioning individuals in whom language is initially delayed but subsequently normalizes; through those with persistent, mild to moderate language impairment, usually accompanied by intellectual disability (ID); to the substantial subgroup of individuals with ASD who have ...

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“…Indirect evidence for an association between symbol formation and language abilities is that individuals with ASD are impaired in their development of different skills that require symbolic abilities, such as language and symbolic play. Furthermore, in contrast with for example specific language impairment, problems in language development seem to be amodal in ASD (Boucher et al 2007). Nonverbal children with ASD often fail to compensate their lack of verbal communication with other modalities, such as gestures (Mundy et al 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In case of ASD with co-occurring intellectual disability (ID), children are 'double impaired' with respect to language abilities. A large proportion of low-functioning individuals with ASD do not develop language or acquires at most a few functional words or signs (Boucher et al 2007;Rapin and Dunn 2003). Language comprehension is always impaired in low-functioning individuals with ASD, although severity varies (Boucher et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A large proportion of low-functioning individuals with ASD do not develop language or acquires at most a few functional words or signs (Boucher et al 2007;Rapin and Dunn 2003). Language comprehension is always impaired in low-functioning individuals with ASD, although severity varies (Boucher et al 2007). A higher level of expressive language compared to receptive language can for example be due to echolalia or the ability to label or to reproduce memorized language in specific contexts (Tager-Flusberg et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Language in Low-Functioning Children with Autistic Disorder: Differences Between Receptive and Expressive Skills and Concurrent Predictors of Language

Maljaars

Noens

Scholte

et al. 2012

J Autism Dev Disord

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Language profiles of children with autistic disorder and intellectual disability (n = 36) were significantly different from the comparison groups of children with intellectual disability (n = 26) and typically developing children (n = 34). The group low-functioning children with autistic disorder obtained a higher mean score on expressive than on receptive language, whereas both comparison groups showed the reverse pattern. Nonverbal mental age, joint attention, and symbolic understanding of pictures were analyzed in relation to concurrent receptive and expressive language abilities. In the group with autistic disorder and intellectual disability, symbol understanding and joint attention were most strongly related to language abilities. Nonverbal mental age was the most important predictor of language abilities in the comparison groups.

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Memory, language and intellectual ability in low-functioning autism

Cited by 41 publications

References 77 publications

Neurobiological mechanisms for nonverbal IQ tests: implications for instruction of nonverbal children with autism

Neurobiological mechanisms for nonverbal IQ tests: implications for instruction of nonverbal children with autism

Memory in autistic spectrum disorder.

Language in Low-Functioning Children with Autistic Disorder: Differences Between Receptive and Expressive Skills and Concurrent Predictors of Language

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