Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
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Fecha
2006
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Behavioral and Brain Functions, 1744-9081, Vol. 2, 2006, p. 1-9
Publicado por
Biomed Central
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Resumen
Descripción
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study was designed to assess two important learning types – procedural and declarative – in children and adolescents affected by posterior fossa tumours (astrocytoma vs. medulloblastoma), given that memory has an important impact on the child's academic achievement and personal development.
We had three groups: two clinical (eighteen subjects) and one control (twelve subjects). The learning types in these groups were assessed by two experimental tasks evaluating procedural-implicit and declarative memory. A Serial Reaction-Time Task was used to measure procedural sequence learning, and the Spanish version [1] of the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version- CVLT- [2] to measure declarative-explicit learning. The learning capacity was assessed considering only the blocks that represent learning, and were compared with MANOVA in clinical and normal subjects. The Raven, simple reaction-time, finger-tapping test, and grooved pegboard tests were used to assess the overall functioning of subjects. The results were compared with those from a control group of the same age, and with Spanish norm-referenced tools where available.
The results indicate the absence of procedural-implicit learning in both clinical groups, whereas declarative-explicit learning is maintained in both groups.
The clinical groups showed a conservation of declarative learning and a clear impairment of procedural learning. The results support the role of the cerebellum in the early phase of procedural learning.
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Keywords
Medulloblastoma, Clinical Group, Procedural Learning, Declarative Memory, Posterior Fossa Tumour
Temáticas
Meduloblastoma
Pruebas de memoria y aprendizaje
Neoplasias infratentoriales
Pruebas de memoria y aprendizaje
Neoplasias infratentoriales