Session 10, Invited Keynote: Working memory in Down syndrome: Causes and consequences

Chris Jarrold University of Bristol C.Jarrold@bristol.ac.uk

Working memory refers to our ability to hold information in mind in order to guide our behavior. Individuals with Down syndrome tend to find some measures of working memory particularly difficult, most notably tasks that require the maintenance of verbal information. Other research in other populations suggests this sort of difficulty can have knock on effects on other aspects of language learning. Consequently it is important to fully understand the pattern of potential strengths and weaknesses in working memory in Down syndrome, and any implications of this pattern.

In this talk I will review what we know about working memory in Down syndrome. I will examine general, non-memory factors that cause apparent problems in verbal working memory performance, review the (rather mixed) evidence for knock on consequences of working memory difficulties on language learning, and discuss what this all means for possible interventions that might improve working memory functioning in Down syndrome.