Understanding attention, memory and social biases in fragile X syndrome: Going below the surface with a multi-method approach. (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guy, Jacalyn; Ng-Cordell, Elise; Doherty, Brianna Ruth; Duta, Mihaela; Scerif, Gaia
• Is Part Of: Research in developmental disabilities. Volume 104(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: Fragile X syndrome -- Attention -- Memory -- Learning -- Social behaviours -- Eye-tracking; Developmental disabilities -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled children -- Education -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmental Disabilities -- Periodicals; Disabled -- Periodicals; Mental Retardation -- rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Personnes atteintes de troubles du développement -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Enfants atteints de troubles du développement -- Éducation -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Développement, Troubles du -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; 616.858800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103693
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-4222

Abstract

Highlights: We investigated longitudinal relationships between ADHD and autism symptoms in boys with fragile X syndrome. We found strong relationships over three timepoints for ADHD symptoms and ASD symptoms. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) we found that ADHD symptoms at time 2 predicted ASD symptoms at time 3. This result highlights the need to study outcomes longitudinally and it informs the comorbidity of the two symptom domains in FXS. Abstract: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is characterised by atypical social behaviours, such as gaze aversion. However, it remains unclear whether, or if so how, these behaviours affect cognitive processing and influence memory. We asked children with FXS (N = 16) and typically developing children (TD; N = 46) to explore naturalistic scenes containing social and non-social salient items unrelated to their task at hand (searching for a simple target object). We also assessed children's memory for target locations. We complemented behavioural responses with eye-tracking data for the subset of participants who managed to comply with calibration and the demands of the experimental testing session (6 children with FXS and 43 TD children). Children with FXS performed well at the experimental task, and showed similar accuracy and speed in locating targets in natural scenes to children of equivalent verbal abilities. They also learned target locations over blocks, but their memory of target locations was not as precise as that of comparison children. In addition, children with FXS initially directed few first looks to salient social items within the scenes, but these looks increased over blocks. Like TD children, children with FXS also dwelled gaze upon social items while recalling target locations from memory. Individual differences in everyday social characteristics also related to gaze and behavioural measures. In conclusion, experimental approaches can highlight cognitive underpinnings of atypical social behaviour in FXS, pinpointing both similarities and differences to TD individuals.