Conclusion. The present study revealed specific memory deficits profile of ASD children associated with ineffective use of organization strategies. Together with their deviated EEG coherence pattern, it has implicated that the memory deficits associated with ASD was possibly subserved by dysfunctional cooperation in frontal and frontal-posterior cortical regions. The potential benefits of explicit cueing and subtle effect of implicit cue on memory performance and neural functional cooperation in ASD were discussed. / Method. Twenty-three children with high-functioning ASD and 39 normal children (NC) aged 5 to 14 years were recruited. In experiment 1, their memory was assessed with the Hong Kong List Learning Test (HKLLT), a memory test of disorganized (DIS) and semantically organized (ORG) words. In experiment 2, their memory of abstract geometric figure (Rey-O) and nameable object (Object Recognition Test, ORT) was tested. The objects in the ORT were presented in DIS or ORG manner. While semantic cue was given explicitly in the HKLLT, it was delivered implicitly in the ORT. In experiment 3, EEG theta coherences connecting anterior, temporal and posterior brain regions were recorded before and during the ORT. / Objective. Some studies found that autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) associated memory deficits were related to frontal lobe dysfunctions, e.g., ineffective organization strategy for memory. Yet, the memory profile of ASD remains inconclusive. The present study aims to examine the memory profile of ASD children based on the information processing model and its association with their organization strategies adopted, and to explore the effect of 'voiced' (with explicit instruction) and 'unvoiced' (without instruction) experimenter-provided organization cueing on memory retrieval. The neuro-physiological basis underlying their memory process was also explored using electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence. / Results. ASD children showed frontal-lobe-related memory problems, with encoding and retrieval deficits, and vulnerability to interference. Their memory deficits were associated with ineffective use of organization strategies. Hyper-coherence at inter-hemispheric anterior-posterior connections and lesser reduction in intra-left anterior coherence correlated with their poorer recognition. Explicit cueing has enhanced semantic clustering and delayed recall of words. Yet, the effect of 'unvoiced' cueing was subtle, with a trend of improving severer memory impairment and suppressing excessive coherence. / Sze, Lai Man. / Adviser: Agnes Sui Yin Chan. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 71-01, Section: B, page: 0674. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-85). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Children have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of chronic exposure to noise and also aircraft noise. Children attending schools in the vicinity of airports have shown cognitive impairments in reading comprehension, different aspects of memory and attention. This cross-sectional study forms part of a larger longitudinal study conducted at schools in the vicinity of an airport in Durban, South Africa, that was decommissioned and moved. The aim was to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to aircraft noise on children’s memory and attention before the moving of the airport. A purposive sample of 834 grade 5 and 6 learners from 5 schools in noisy and quiet areas near the airport were assessed on aspects of episodic memory, working memory, prospective memory and attention with standardised tests in a classroom context. Performance on working memory and one aspect of episodic memory was significantly better in the group exposed to noise. Prospective memory functioning was significantly better in the quiet group. These results, which to some extent unexpected, may prove important in understanding the effects of chronic noise on different aspects of memory functioning. The results and their implications are discussed in relation to previous studies and theories on the effects of noise on memory functioning.

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / Brain hibernation or cerebral dysfunction theory is the diminishing of brain function due to poor blood flow as a result of compression of the vertebral, basilar, internal carotid and subclavian arteries (Buchanan, 2004). Compression is usually due to skeletal malalignment, ligamentous or muscular in origin and correction of this by cervical spine manipulation suggests that the above difficulties may be improved with manipulative and manual techniques (Buchanan, 2005). Thomas and Wood (1992), suggest that there is a correlation between upper cervical adjustments and improved mental function. This has been shown by Shambaugh, Pearlman and Hauck (1991), who showed that after an adjustment, there was an improved brain stem evoked response which indicated that neural messages were travelling through the brain stem quicker or with less delay. Terrett (1993), has proposed that cervical manipulative therapy results in augmented cerebral blood flow, which culminates in hibernating areas of the brain becoming functional again. The higher cognitive skills tend to be affected by the decrease in blood flow. Cognitive skills are vital to the process of learning, spelling and reading. Edublox is a company that has special training programmes to develop these skills to maximise a childs potential. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of cervical manipulations combined with Edublox training versus Edublox training alone on visual spatial memory. The focus of the study would be to determine whether chiropractic cervical manipulation has a significant effect on mental function and visual memory when combined with Edublox training. The study will include a total of 34 participants split into two groups, one receiving Edublox training and the other receiving Edublox training combined with cervical spine manipulations. Participants approximately between the ages of ten and thirteen years of age will be included in this study. The manipulation group will receive spinal manipulative therapy followed by both groups receiving the same Edublox training session to limit variation. The participants shall receive an intense program of Edublox training, every day for the duration of five days and the combined group will receive adjustment every other day. The research will be conducted at the premises of Confidence College. Subjective and objective measurements will be taken at the beginning and at the end of the five days. The subjective measurement will include an Observer Memory Questionnaire – Parent Form that will be completed by the parent of the child based on their view of their child’s memory. The objective measurement will include two sub-tests from the Visual Perceptual Skills Test 3, namely the visual memory (VM) and visual sequential memory (VSM) components.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of emotionality on the memory of children with an autism spectrum disorder. Although emotional events enhance memory in adults and children without an autism spectrum disorder, there are different memory patterns among individuals on the autism spectrum. Specifically, individuals with autism may show a decreased advantage in memory for emotional content and may have deficits in memory for information that is not presented visually. Currently, however, there are no studies that look at how emotional content affects memory specifically in children with autism. In the current study, children with and without autism were presented with stimuli contrasting emotional and neutral content using one of two modalities, auditory and visual, and then completed memory recognition tasks for the stimuli. Results indicate that children with an autism spectrum disorder did not demonstrate enhanced memory for emotional information. Rather, they were equally able to remember emotional and neutral stimuli. Additionally, individuals on the spectrum demonstrated better memory for visual stimuli compared to their neurotypical peers. These results support the notion that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder may learn and remember material differently than those without the disorder and that educators need to acknowledge these differences as children with autism spectrum disorders continue to be integrated into classroom settings.