Alteraciones de la memoria en el Trastorno Específico del Lenguaje: una perspectiva neuropsicológica

The acquisition of learning and memory abilities is closely linked to correct language development, with a qualitative change in these abilities when language skills are well developed. One way of researching this is to study mnesic performance in people with language disorders. However, studies of memory in language disorders are scarce. To help fill this gap, we studied learning and memory, both verbal and visuospatial, in a sample of children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). The sample was composed of 31 SLI children and 19 control children, all aged between 6 and 11 years. The tests used were the following: TAVECI, the Digits Subtest from WISC-IV, the spatial localization subtest from the WMS-III, the history subtest from the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL) and the Rey Complex Figure Test. The results showed deficits in learning and memory in SLI children. These results showed that SLI children had cognitive problems that went beyond linguistics issues, and indicated the need to include memory and learning assessment in SLI characterization.