Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>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...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Casares Encarnación, Gómez Carlos M, Quintero-Gallego Eliana A, Márquez Javier, Pérez-Santamaría Fco
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2006-03-01
Series:Behavioral and Brain Functions
Online Access:http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/2/1/9
id doaj-927b59e0d97d48dda88bdcf3b9ac98a2
record_format Article
spelling doaj-927b59e0d97d48dda88bdcf3b9ac98a22020-11-25T01:41:00ZengBMCBehavioral and Brain Functions1744-90812006-03-0121910.1186/1744-9081-2-9Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumoursCasares EncarnaciónGómez Carlos MQuintero-Gallego Eliana AMárquez JavierPérez-Santamaría Fco<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>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 <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B1">1</abbr></abbrgrp> of the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version- CVLT- <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B2">2</abbr></abbrgrp> 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</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results indicate the absence of procedural-implicit learning in both clinical groups, whereas declarative-explicit learning is maintained in both groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>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.</p> http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/2/1/9
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Casares Encarnación
Gómez Carlos M
Quintero-Gallego Eliana A
Márquez Javier
Pérez-Santamaría Fco
spellingShingle Casares Encarnación
Gómez Carlos M
Quintero-Gallego Eliana A
Márquez Javier
Pérez-Santamaría Fco
Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
Behavioral and Brain Functions
author_facet Casares Encarnación
Gómez Carlos M
Quintero-Gallego Eliana A
Márquez Javier
Pérez-Santamaría Fco
author_sort Casares Encarnación
title Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
title_short Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
title_full Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
title_fullStr Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
title_full_unstemmed Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
title_sort declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours
publisher BMC
series Behavioral and Brain Functions
issn 1744-9081
publishDate 2006-03-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>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 <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B1">1</abbr></abbrgrp> of the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version- CVLT- <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B2">2</abbr></abbrgrp> 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</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results indicate the absence of procedural-implicit learning in both clinical groups, whereas declarative-explicit learning is maintained in both groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>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.</p>
url http://www.behavioralandbrainfunctions.com/content/2/1/9
work_keys_str_mv AT casaresencarnacion declarativeandprocedurallearninginchildrenandadolescentswithposteriorfossatumours
AT gomezcarlosm declarativeandprocedurallearninginchildrenandadolescentswithposteriorfossatumours
AT quinterogallegoelianaa declarativeandprocedurallearninginchildrenandadolescentswithposteriorfossatumours
AT marquezjavier declarativeandprocedurallearninginchildrenandadolescentswithposteriorfossatumours
AT perezsantamariafco declarativeandprocedurallearninginchildrenandadolescentswithposteriorfossatumours
_version_ 1725043104866631680