Cognitive predictors of language impairment in Down syndrome

唐氏综合症语言障碍的认知预测因子

• 批准号: 8215769
• 负责人: FRANCES A CONNERS
• 金额: $ 33.9万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN TUSCALOOSA
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-02-20 至 2014-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8215769
• 关键词: Adolescent; Affect; Age; Area; Awareness; Books; Brain; Child; Cognitive; Communication; Complex; Control Groups; Development; Down Syndrome; Etiology; Future; Genetic; Health; Impaired cognition; Impairment; Individual; Infant; Intellectual functioning disability; Intention; Intervention; Language; Language Delays; Language Development; Lead; Learning; Life; Link; Measures; Mediation; Memory; Memory impairment; Mental Retardation; Modeling; Nature; Participant; Pattern; Persons; Population; Process; Relative (related person); Research; Role; Schools; Structure; Syndrome; System; Techniques; Television; Testing; Time; Vocabulary; Work; age group; comparative; design; experience; group intervention; longitudinal design; phonology; syntax

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): People with Down syndrome (DS) are usually in the lowest 2% of the population in intellectual ability, yet their language ability is far lower than their intellectual ability. Severe language limitations have a profound and pervasive impact on life functioning of people with DS. Though much work has been done to understand the pattern of language abilities in individuals with DS, little is known about the nature of the underlying processes or mechanisms that result in this pattern. The broad, long-term objective of the proposed research is to identify cognitive predictors of language impairment in DS, especially syntax. We predict that impairments in implicit learning and phonological memory together lead to impairments in language in this group. The study uses a combined comparative/longitudinal design in which a DS group, age 10-21, and 2 control groups (CA and mixed etiology ID) are tested at Time 1 and the DS and mixed ID groups are tested again 2 years later at Time 2. Specific Aim 1 is to demonstrate that, in addition to the known impairment in phonological memory, there is also a severe impairment in implicit learning in DS. We expect participants with DS to perform more poorly than CA and ID groups on measures of implicit learning and phonological memory. The study also includes a typical developmental trajectory to evaluate implicit learning in the DS and mixed ID groups. Specific Aim 2 is to demonstrate that implicit learning and phonological memory impairments are linked to language impairment in DS. If so, then (a) implicit learning and phonological memory will correlate with concurrent language ability in DS and (b) implicit learning and phonological memory at Time 1 will predict rate of language development over two years in DS. Specific Aim 3 is to test a partial mediation model of the influence of implicit learning on language in DS, especially syntax. We suggest that implicit learning affects language directly, because it limits the acquisition of complex rule systems and covariations necessary for language acquisition, but also indirectly, through phonological memory. Poor implicit learning of covariations among phonologic units in one's native language leads to limitations in phonological memory, which constrain language acquisition. We will test the partial mediation model concurrently and longitudinally over two years. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Individuals with Down syndrome have specific expressive and receptive language difficulties that are even more pronounced than their difficulties in other areas of development. These language delays lead to lifelong communication problems. The focus of this research is to identify memory and learning impairments that are related to the specific pattern of language difficulties that characterize individuals with Down syndrome. Specifically, we propose that a combination of implicit (automatic) learning and phonological memory impairments will be related to the language difficulties experienced by persons with Down syndrome. If supported, these findings will have significant implications for the design of language interventions for this group. They would suggest that language interventions should incorporate more deliberate or explicit techniques to enhance implicit learning processes and support phonological memory during language learning.

描述（由申请人提供）：患有唐氏综合症（DS）的人通常处于智力能力的2％，但其语言能力远低于其智力能力。严重的语言限制对DS患者的生活运作产生了深远而普遍的影响。尽管已经做了很多工作以了解DS个体的语言能力模式，但对导致这种模式的基本过程或机制的性质知之甚少。拟议的研究的广泛长期目标是确定DS中语言障碍的认知预测指标，尤其是语法。我们预测，隐性学习和语音记忆的损害共同导致该组语言的障碍。该研究使用了比较/纵向设计的组合，其中DS组，10-21岁和2个对照组（CA和混合病因ID）在时间1进行测试，并且在2年后，在时间2之后，DS和混合ID组再次进行了测试。具体的AIM 1是为了证明，除了在语音记忆中，还具有严重的障碍，还具有严重的障碍。我们希望DS的参与者在隐式学习和语音记忆的度量方面的表现比CA和ID组更差。该研究还包括一个典型的发展轨迹，以评估DS和混合ID组中的隐式学习。具体目标2是证明隐性学习和语音记忆障碍与DS中的语言障碍有关。如果是这样，那么（a）（a）内隐学习和语音记忆将与DS中的同时语言能力相关，并且（b）时间1的隐性学习和语音记忆将在DS中预测语言发展的速度。特定目的3是测试隐性学习对DS语言的影响的部分调解模型，尤其是语法。我们建议隐性学习直接影响语言，因为它限制了语言获取所需的复杂规则系统和协变量的获取，但也通过语音记忆间接地进行了协方差。对语言中语言单位之间协变量的隐性学习不良导致语音记忆的局限性，这会限制语言获取。我们将在两年内同时和纵向测试部分调解模型。公共卫生相关性：患有唐氏综合症的人具有特定的表达和接受语言困难，这些困难比在其他发展领域的困难更为明显。这些语言延迟导致终生沟通问题。这项研究的重点是确定与唐氏综合症患者特定的语言困难模式相关的记忆和学习障碍。具体而言，我们建议隐式（自动）学习和语音记忆障碍的结合与唐氏综合症患者遇到的语言困难有关。如果得到支持，这些发现将对该组的语言干预设计产生重大影响。他们建议语言干预措施应纳入更多或明确的技术，以增强内隐学习过程并支持语言学习期间的语音记忆。