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Related Experiment Videos

Language and communicative development in Williams syndrome.

Carolyn B Mervis1, Angela M Becerra

  • 1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA. cbmervis@louisville.edu

Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews
|February 28, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Williams syndrome (WS) research challenges the idea of language independence. Studies show that language and cognition are interdependent in individuals with WS, despite unique cognitive profiles.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder resulting from a microdeletion on chromosome 7q11.23.
  • Individuals with WS typically exhibit mild to moderate intellectual disability, with specific cognitive strengths in verbal short-term memory and language, and weaknesses in visuospatial construction.
  • Historically, WS has been cited as evidence for the independence of language from other cognitive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review contemporary research on language and cognition in Williams syndrome.
  • To re-evaluate the relationship between language and cognition in WS based on current evidence.
  • To challenge the long-held view of language independence in WS.

Main Methods:

  • Review of standardized assessments of language and cognitive abilities in individuals with WS.

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  • Analysis of studies on early language acquisition, including speech perception/production, vocabulary, and pragmatics.
  • Examination of language skills (semantics, grammar, pragmatics) in school-aged children and adolescents with WS.

    • Main Results:

    • Individuals with Williams syndrome present a distinct cognitive profile with relative strengths in verbal short-term memory and language.
    • Despite apparent verbal strengths, detailed analysis reveals complexities in early language acquisition and later language development.
    • Performance on standardized and specific language tasks indicates significant interaction between language and other cognitive domains.

    Conclusions:

    • Williams syndrome does not serve as a paradigm case for the independence of language from cognition.
    • Evidence from WS strongly supports the interdependence of various aspects of language and cognition.
    • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the intricate relationship between language and cognitive development in genetic disorders.