Research:
Attn., Memory, and Executive Function

Attention, Memory, and Executive Function in Fragile X Syndrome
Principal Investigator: Don Bailey
Co-Investigators: Deborah Hatton, Stephen Hooper, Peter Ornstein, Martie Skinner
Funded by Grant Number 1-R01-HD40601-01
National Institute on Child Health and Human Development, 2001-2006

This is a newly funded study that will allow us to study children with fragile X syndrome between the ages of 8 and 13. The major purpose of the study is to increase our knowledge about neurocognitive function in children affected by fragile X syndrome. This will be accomplished by conducting assessments of attention, memory, and executive function.

Research Goals

  • Determine the profile of neurocognitive function in fragile X syndrome, with particular emphasis on strengths and weaknesses in three domains: attention, memory, and executive function.
  • Determine specific profiles within attention, memory, and executive function domains.
  • Determine the trajectory and stability of attention, memory, and executive function over time during pre and early adolescence.
  • Determine the extent to which variability in fragile X syndrome profiles and trajectories of neurocognitive family socioeconomic status and education, autistic behavior, temperament, language, visual processing and behavior problems.
Methods

    Participants

    • 45 children with fragile X syndrome between the ages of 8 and 13 years of age.
    • 45 mental-age-matched typically developing children will provide insight into relative cognitive strengths and weaknesses in fragile X syndrome in relation to their own mental age.

    Data Collection

    • Each child will be assessed annually by a member of the Carolina fragile X project staff. Each time, staff will be using a comprehensive battery of attention, memory, and executive function measures. Additional measures will be collected of FMRP, pubertal status, physiological arousal, socioeconomic status, temperament, autistic behavior, language development, visual processing skills, and behavior problems.
Results
  • Bailey, D. B.,Roberts, Jane E., Hooper, S.R., Hatton, D.D., Mirrett, P.L., Roberts, Joanne E., & Schaaf, J.M. (in press). Research on fragile X syndrome and autism: Implications for the study of genes, environments, and developmental language disorders. In M.L. Rice and S.F. Warren (Eds.), Developmental language disorders: From phenotypes to etiologies. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associaties.
  • Hatton, D. D., & Bailey, D. B. (2001). Fragile X syndrome and autism. In E. Schopler, L. Marcus, C. Shulman, & N. Yermiya (Eds.), The research basis of autism intervention (pp.75-89). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.