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Executive control of learning and memory in children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2005

DESIRÉE A. WHITE  and
SHAWN E. CHRIST
DESIRÉE A. WHITE
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
SHAWN E. CHRIST
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
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Abstract

Executive control of learning and memory was examined in children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (SCP). We hypothesized that SCP-related brain damage would disrupt executive but not associative aspects of learning and memory. To test this hypothesis, the California Verbal Learning Test–Children's Version was administered to 16 children with bilateral SCP and 19 control children ranging from 6 to 18 years of age. Controlling for general verbal ability, the groups did not differ in initial learning and retention of information over time, suggesting that associative learning and memory processes subserved by medial temporal brain regions were relatively intact in children with SCP. In contrast, impairments in learning over repeated trials, strategic processing, and inhibition in the SCP group pointed to disruptions in prefrontally-mediated executive aspects of learning and memory. The inhibitory deficit was more pronounced in younger children with SCP, suggesting a developmental delay in this ability. (JINS, 2005, 11, 920–924.)

Keywords

NeuropsychologyCognitionInhibitionPrenatal injuryPrefrontalDevelopment
Type
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 11 , Issue 7 , November 2005 , pp. 920 - 924
Copyright
© 2005 The International Neuropsychological Society

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