The central goal of this research is to understand the nature of spatial representations, its structure, normal development, and breakdown under conditions of genetic deficit. This goal will be accomplished by studying spatial representations in children and adults with Williams syndrome (WS)~ a rare genetic defect which gives rise to an unusual cognitive profile of severe spatial deficit coupled with relatively spared language. People with WS typically show severe deficits in visual construction tasks. Yet they show spared capacities to recognize objects, process visual motion, and talk about space. This unusual pattern of deficit and sparing suggests the broad hypothesis that dorsal stream functions of the brainmany of them parietal functions- are damaged in Williams syndrome. The pattern also suggests that ventral stream functions, such as object recognition may be spared, and that the combination of damage and sparing leads to the unusual spatial profile of WS. We will test the hypotheses that the WS spatial profile (a) reflects breakdown in multiple dorsal-parietal functions, including visual-spatial attention, updating for action, and imaginal transformations, (b) reflects sparing of object representation, a key ventral stream function, and (c) reflects severe delay or arrest at an early point along the normal developmental trajectory. Experimental probes will test these hypotheses in 4 projects examining visual attention, object representation, visual-manual action, and navigation. This research will shed light on theories of the normal architecture of spatial representation, how it develops in children, and its breakdown during development. The latter holds promise for understanding how to enhance normal spatial representations and build upon deficient ones. The research will have broad impact by increasing our understanding of how spatial systems develop in normal and impaired children. This understanding can afford insights to the applied community which depends on such research to develop interventions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS050876-02
Application #
7092007
Study Section
Cognition and Perception Study Section (CP)
Program Officer
Babcock, Debra J
Project Start
2005-07-05
Project End
2010-04-30
Budget Start
2006-05-01
Budget End
2007-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$330,711
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218
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Ferrara, Katrina; Silva, Malena; Wilson, Colin et al. (2016) Spatial Language and the Embedded Listener Model in Parents' Input to Children. Cogn Sci 40:1877-1910
Ferrara, Katrina; Landau, Barbara (2015) Geometric and featural systems, separable and combined: Evidence from reorientation in people with Williams syndrome. Cognition 144:123-33
Libertus, Melissa E; Feigenson, Lisa; Halberda, Justin et al. (2014) Understanding the mapping between numerical approximation and number words: evidence from Williams syndrome and typical development. Dev Sci 17:905-19
Yoshioka, Takashi; Dillon, Moira R; Beck, Graham C et al. (2013) Tactile localization on digits and hand: structure and development. Psychol Sci 24:1653-63
Dessalegn, Banchiamlack; Landau, Barbara; Rapp, Brenda (2013) Consequences of severe visual-spatial deficits for reading acquisition: evidence from Williams syndrome. Neurocase 19:328-47
Landau, Barbara; Ferrara, Katrina (2013) Space and language in Williams syndrome: insights from typical development. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci 4:693-706
Dessalegn, Banchiamlack; Landau, Barbara (2013) Interaction between language and vision: it's momentary, abstract, and it develops. Cognition 127:331-44
Musolino, Julien; Landau, Barbara (2012) Genes, language, and the nature of scientific explanations: the case of Williams syndrome. Cogn Neuropsychol 29:123-48
Faria, Andreia Vasconcellos; Landau, Barbara; O'Hearn, Kirsten M et al. (2012) Quantitative analysis of gray and white matter in Williams syndrome. Neuroreport 23:283-9

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