Using Behavioral Approaches to Assess Memory, Imitation and Motor Performance in Children with Angelman Syndrome: Results of a Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study was designed to assess memory, imitation of motor actions and motor performance by 12 children (age range 40–151 months) with Angelman syndrome (AS), a rare neurogenetic disorder associated with learning and memory impairments. Methods: Children’s functioning was assessed at several time points over a 3-month period. Results: Memory and motor performance tests had acceptable test-retest and inter-rater reliability whereas the motor imitation test did not. Children were able to recall action sequences after a 24-h delay. Memory and motor performance scores were correlated with children’s chronological age and raw scores on subdomains of the Vineland-II. Conclusions: These behavioral tests require further development and evaluation but may show promise to accompany standardized assessments that are currently in use with children with AS.

KEYWORDS:

• Angelman syndrome
• intellectual disability
• memory
• motor imitation
• motor performance

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank the families and children who participated in the study. Thanks are also due to Jason Bossett, Liezanne Vaccarella, and Bonnie Chan for their contributions to the project and Lisa Hawke for assistance with the data analysis.

Declaration of interest

This study was funded by a grant from the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. Results of the study were presented at the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Scientific Symposium in Chapel Hill, NC in June 2010 and the Angelman Biomarkers/Outcomes Measures Alliance Meeting in Phoenix, AZ in July 2017. The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Angelman Syndrome Foundation.