Cognitive functioning in Williams syndrome: a study in Portuguese and Spanish patients. 2009

Adriana Sampaio, and Montse Férnandez, and Margarida Henriques, and Angel Carracedo, and Nuno Sousa, and Oscar F Gonçalves
Department of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal. adrianasampaio@ecsaude.uminho.pt

Williams Syndrome (WS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a submicroscopic deletion on chromosome 7 q11.23. This is a systemic disorder in which cardiac problems and mental retardation are the key phenotypic symptoms. Although displaying a general cognitive impairment, they are most often described as exhibiting a peak and valley profile, with relative sparing of language and face processing abilities and severe impairment of visual-spatial cognition. In this study, we conducted a detailed cognitive assessment using Wechsler Intelligence Scales on a WS and a normal development control group. To explore the hypothesis of a dissociative cognitive architecture in WS, performance on subtests, factorial indexes and composite measures of Verbal, Performance and Full Scale Intelligence Quotient were analysed. Individuals with WS were found to score in Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) within mild to moderate mental retardation interval, and had significantly lower scores in all measures when they were compared with the normal development group. However, a specific intragroup cognitive profile was found for Williams Syndrome (confirming Mervis' definition of the WS cognitive profile) along with a specific developmental pathway (absence of an age-associated cognitive decline).

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007360 Intelligence The ability to learn and to deal with new situations and to deal effectively with tasks involving abstractions.
D007361 Intelligence Tests Standardized tests that measure the present general ability or aptitude for intellectual performance. Mental Tests,Raven Test,Raven's Progressive Matrices,Intelligence Test,Mental Test,Raven Progressive Matrices,Ravens Progressive Matrices,Test, Intelligence,Test, Mental,Test, Raven
D008297 Male Males
D009483 Neuropsychological Tests Tests designed to assess neurological function associated with certain behaviors. They are used in diagnosing brain dysfunction or damage and central nervous system disorders or injury. Aphasia Tests,Cognitive Test,Cognitive Testing,Cognitive Tests,Memory for Designs Test,Neuropsychological Testing,AX-CPT,Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome,CANTAB,Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery,Clock Test,Cognitive Function Scanner,Continuous Performance Task,Controlled Oral Word Association Test,Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System,Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment,Hooper Visual Organization Test,NEPSY,Neuropsychologic Tests,Neuropsychological Test,Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test,Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status,Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure,Symbol Digit Modalities Test,Test of Everyday Attention,Test, Neuropsychological,Tests, Neuropsychological,Tower of London Test,Neuropsychologic Test,Test, Cognitive,Testing, Cognitive,Testing, Neuropsychological,Tests, Cognitive
D011174 Portugal A country in southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain. The capital is Lisbon. Madeira Island,Portuguese Republic
D011597 Psychomotor Performance The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D003072 Cognition Disorders Disorders characterized by disturbances in mental processes related to learning, thinking, reasoning, and judgment. Overinclusion,Disorder, Cognition,Disorders, Cognition
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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