Multisensory working memory in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Katherine Bellesheim
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Memory Deficits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
University Of Missouri ◽  
Memory Impairments ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
The University ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Working memory impairments are commonly-reported in individuals with ASD, although these reports have been limited to unisensory memory within a single sensory domain. Recent studies have begun to quantify and characterize the development of the domain-general and domain-specific mental faculties that support multisensory working memory. It remains unclear whether ASD-related working memory impairments may be associated with disruptions in domain-general and/or domain-specific resources and whether atypical sensory processing, a prevalent diagnostic criterion of ASD, may impact these cognitive processes. The current study was designed to assess unisensory and multisensory working memory and to elucidate the extent to which domain-general and domain-specific processes may contribute to documented working memory deficits in ASD. A secondary goal was to explore how atypical sensory processing (as reflected by caregiver report) may relate to these findings. A sample of 55 adolescents (32 with ASD and 23 without ASD) ages 11 to 15 were administered working memory tasks consisting of unisensory (visual or auditory) and multisensory (visual and auditory) to-be-remembered stimuli. Results confirmed the presence of unisensory working memory deficits in adolescents with ASD. Regarding multisensory working memory, an atypical pattern of domain-general and domain-specific components was identified in younger adolescents with ASD. Evidence was demonstrated that this difference may normalize later in adolescence. Elevated sensory symptomology (i.e., hyperreactivity and sensation avoidance) was negatively correlated with multisensory, but not unisensory, working memory. Future research should continue to explore the role of modality (unisensory vs multisensory), integration, and sensory functioning in working memory.

Analysis of cell signaling during floral abscission in arabidopsis

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Isaiah Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Protein Degradation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Kinase Gene ◽  
University Of Missouri ◽  
Gene Map ◽  
Map Kinase Phosphatase ◽  
Floral Abscission ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The shedding of plant organs is known as abscission. Floral abscission in Arabidopsis is regulated by two related receptor[negation symbol]-like protein kinases (RLKs), HAESA and HAESA[negation symbol-like 2 (HAE/HSL2). Double mutants of HAE/HSL2 are completely defective in abscission and retain sepals, petals, and stamen indefinitely. We have utilized genetic suppressor screens of hae hsl2 mutant to identify additional regulatory mechanisms of floral abscission. We have uncovered a series of gain-of-function alleles of the receptor-like protein kinase gene SERK1, as well as loss of function alleles of the gene MAP-KINASE-PHOSPHATASE-1/MKP1. We further show that mutation of two components of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation system can suppress a weak hae hsl2 mutant, suggesting that the weak hae hsl2 mutant receptor proteins undergo ER-associated protein degradation. We further perform a number of experiments to examine the impact of phosphorylation on the activity of HAE. These results provide a number of important mechanistic details to our understanding of floral abscission, and suggest many lines of inquiry for future research.

Unconscious information progressing in working memory

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Amy Underwood Barton
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Behavioral Performance ◽  
Stereoscopic Display ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
University Of Missouri ◽  
Continuous Flash Suppression ◽  
Tightly Coupled ◽  
Experimental Findings ◽  
The University

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Conventionally, the contents of working memory (WM) have been viewed as tightly coupled with conscious awareness. However, recent experimental findings regarding unconscious visual perception indicate that items suppressed from awareness may also be maintained in WM (Soto, Mantyla, and Silvanto, 2011, 2011; Bergstrom and Eriksson, 2015). To explore this phenomenon, my colleagues and I assessed behavioral performance and the contralateral delay activity (CDA, an index of working memory load), while subjects viewed memory items (Gabor patches or greyscale rectangular bars) on one half of a stereoscopic display. Some memory items were suppressed from conscious sight using continuous flash suppression (CFS) while others remained visible. After a retention interval, participants decided whether the probed memory item (either suppressed or visible) was of a changed orientation. In Experiments 1 and 2, behavioral results indicated that change detection for visible memory items was significantly impaired by increasing the load of suppressed items. Psychophysiological results in Experiment 2 indicated CDA amplitudes were smaller following the presentation of the suppressed items, suggesting that their presence displaced previously encoded visible items from WM. We infer that suppressed items interfered with maintenance of the visible items without being stored in WM themselves.

scholarly journals Social Skills Intervention Participation and Associated Improvements in Executive Function Performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawn E. Christ ◽  
Janine P. Stichter ◽  
Karen V. O’Connor ◽  
Kimberly Bodner ◽  
Amanda J. Moffitt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Social Competence ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Mixing Costs ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication. It has been postulated that such difficulties are related to disruptions in underlying cognitive processes such as executive function. The present study examined potential changes in executive function performance associated with participation in the Social Competence Intervention (SCI) program, a short-term intervention designed to improve social competence in adolescents with ASD. Laboratory behavioral performance measures were used to separately evaluate potential intervention-related changes in individual executive function component processes (i.e., working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility) in a sample of 22 adolescents with ASD both before and after intervention. For comparison purposes, a demographically matched sample of 14 individuals without ASD was assessed at identical time intervals. Intervention-related improvements were observed on the working memory task, with gains evident in spatial working memory and, to a slightly lesser degree, verbal working memory. Significant improvements were also found for a working memory-related aspect of the task switching test (i.e., mixing costs). Taken together, these findings provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that participation in the SCI program is accompanied by changes in underlying neurocognitive processes such as working memory.

scholarly journals An examination of the study abroad advising process in a university context

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Paulina Perkins
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Academic Advising ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Developmental Advising ◽  
Related Field ◽  
University Of Missouri ◽  
Peer Advisors ◽  
Training Resources ◽  
The University

For this qualitative case study, the aim was to better understand what informs study abroad advising practices from the perspective of the advisor and to examine these practices for evidence of developmental advising using Crookston's (1972) developmental advising framework. This study significantly contributes to the very limited research that is available on advising for study abroad. Because of its limited nature, much of the review of the literature for this study centers on research in the field of academic advising, a closely related field, rather than study abroad advising. Five study abroad advisors at the University of Missouri participated in this study. The data were collected through interviews, written reflections, and video recorded advising appointments. There are four distinct themes that inform study abroad advising practices: relevant experiences, formal training, resources, and professional experience. Additionally, there are elements of developmental advising practiced by the advisors in this study, including abilities, rewards, maturity, responsibility, and relationships. The implications for future research include studies related to the student perspective on developmental advising, longitudinal studies, student outcomes, and evaluation of study abroad advising practices. As for practical implications, this study can help inform training of study abroad advisors as well as student peer advisors; potentially increase the diversity of the study abroad population by having advisors utilize personal identity to build relationships with students; and, may serve to justify curricular changes within student affairs degrees to include student advising, which is currently lacking in many master's level programs.

Trait and Ability Emotional Intelligence in Adolescents With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 282-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxanne Boily ◽  
Sydney E. Kingston ◽  
Janine M. Montgomery
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
The Social ◽  
Ability Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Core Symptoms ◽  
Adolescents With Asd

Social-emotional impairments are considered core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Although numerous interventions have been developed to remediate the social deficits in children with ASD, few have been designed to meet the needs of youth. Given research demonstrating relations between emotional intelligence (EI) and social outcomes in adults with Asperger Syndrome (AS), the current study examined both trait and ability EI to elucidate the nature of the EI strengths and impairments in youth with and without ASD. Twenty-five adolescents with ASD and 25 adolescents without ASD aged 13 to 17 years completed measures of ability and trait EI. Findings suggest that aspects of both trait and ability EI were significantly weaker in adolescents with ASD compared with typically developing adolescents. Implications, limitations, and future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Domain-specific control of semantic cognition: A dissociation within patients with semantic working memory deficits

Aphasiology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 740-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Hoffman ◽  
Elizabeth Jefferies ◽  
Anthony Haffey ◽  
Thomas Littlejohns ◽  
Matthew A. Lambon Ralph
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Memory Deficits ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Semantic Cognition ◽  
Specific Control

Verbal working memory in HIV-seropositive drug users

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 548-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROXANNA FARINPOUR ◽  
EILEEN M. MARTIN ◽  
MICHAEL SEIDENBERG ◽  
DAVID L. PITRAK ◽  
KENNETH J. PURSELL ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Memory Deficits ◽  
Visuospatial Working Memory ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Pointing Task ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Hiv Seropositive

Recent evidence suggests that HIV-seropositive drug users are impaired on tasks of visuospatial working memory compared with drug users seronegative for HIV. In the current study we evaluated the performance of 30 HIV-seropositive male drug users and 30 risk-matched seronegative controls on two measures of verbal working memory, the Listening Span and the verbal Self Ordered Pointing Task. Impaired working memory performance was significantly more common among HIV-seropositive persons compared to controls, with the highest incidence of deficit among symptomatic participants. These findings indicate that working memory deficits in persons with HIV are not domain-specific and can be demonstrated reliably in drug users. (JINS, 2000, 6, 548–555.)

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