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Egocentric and Allocentric Spatial Representations in Williams Syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2012

Inês Bernardino ,
Susana Mouga ,
Miguel Castelo-Branco  and
Marieke van Asselen
Inês Bernardino*
Affiliation:
Visual Neuroscience Laboratory, IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Susana Mouga
Affiliation:
Visual Neuroscience Laboratory, IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal Child Center, Neurodevelopment and Autism Department, Pediatric Hospital of Coimbra, CHUC, Coimbra, Portugal
Miguel Castelo-Branco
Affiliation:
Visual Neuroscience Laboratory, IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Marieke van Asselen
Affiliation:
Visual Neuroscience Laboratory, IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Inês Bernardino, IBILI - Visual Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-354 Coimbra, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe visuospatial deficits, particularly affecting spatial navigation and wayfinding. Creating egocentric (viewer-dependent) and allocentric (viewer-independent) representations of space is essential for the development of these abilities. However, it remains unclear whether egocentric and allocentric representations are impaired in WS. In this study, we investigate egocentric and allocentric frames of reference in this disorder. A WS group (n = 18), as well as a chronological age-matched control group (n = 20), a non-verbal mental age-matched control group (n = 20) and a control group with intellectual disability (n = 17), was tested with a computerized and a 3D spatial judgment task. The results showed that WS participants are impaired when performing both egocentric and allocentric spatial judgments even when compared with mental age-matched control participants. This indicates that a substantial deficit affecting both spatial representations is present in WS. The egocentric impairment is in line with the dorsal visual pathway deficit previously reported in WS. Interestingly, the difficulties found in performing allocentric spatial judgments give important cues to better understand the ventral visual functioning in WS. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–9)

Keywords

Spatial cognitionReference framesDorsal visual streamViewer-dependent coordinatesViewer-independent coordinatesVisuospatial
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 54 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2012

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