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The association of visuospatial working memory with dysthymic disorder in pre-pubertal children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 July 2009

T. Franklin ,
A. Lee ,
N. Hall ,
S. Hetrick ,
J. Ong ,
N. Haslam ,
F. Karsz  and
A. Vance
T. Franklin
Affiliation:
Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
A. Lee
Affiliation:
Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
N. Hall
Affiliation:
Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
S. Hetrick
Affiliation:
Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
J. Ong
Affiliation:
Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
N. Haslam
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
F. Karsz
Affiliation:
Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
A. Vance*
Affiliation:
Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
*
*Address for correspondence: Professor A. Vance, Head, Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 3052. (Email: avance@rch.org.au)
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Abstract

Background

Visuospatial working memory (VSWM) deficits have not been investigated specifically in children with dysthymic disorder (DD), although they are associated with impairments in attention that commonly occur in DD. This study investigates VSWM impairment in children with DD.

Method

A cross-sectional study of VSWM in 6- to 12-year-old children with medication-naive DD (n=26) compared to an age-, gender- and ‘performance IQ’ (PIQ)-matched healthy control group (n=28) was completed.

Results

The DD group demonstrated impairment in VSWM, including impairment in the spatial span and strategy components of VSWM. Furthermore, the VSWM impairment remained after controlling for spatial span. Inattentive symptoms were significantly associated with the VSWM impairment.

Conclusions

This study of children with DD found deficits in performance on VSWM tasks, suggesting that fronto-striatal–parietal neural networks that underlie processes of attention and the executive component of VSWM are dysfunctional in children with DD. These findings further our understanding of DD and suggest more specific interventions that might improve functioning.

Keywords

Attentionchildrendysthymic disordervisuospatial working memory
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , February 2010 , pp. 253 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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