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Working Memory Impairments in Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: The Roles of Anxiety and Stress Physiology

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Abstract

Stress and anxiety have a negative impact on working memory systems by competing for executive resources and attention. Broad memory deficits, anxiety, and elevated stress have been reported in individuals with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). We investigated anxiety and physiological stress reactivity in relation to visuospatial working memory impairments in 20 children with 22q11.2DS and 32 typically developing (TD) children ages 7 to 16. Children with 22q11.2DS demonstrated poorer working memory, reduced post-stress respiratory sinus arrhythmia recovery, and overall increased levels of cortisol in comparison to TD children. Anxiety, but not physiological stress responsivity, mediated the relationship between 22q11.2DS diagnosis and visuospatial working memory impairment. Findings indicate that anxiety exacerbates impaired working memory in children with 22q11.2DS.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health awarded to Dr. Elliott Beaton (R00MH086616-05) and via laboratory start-up funding from the Louisiana Board of Regents and the University of New Orleans. We especially thank the families who donated their time and effort to this study.

Author contributions

AFPS contributed to experimental design; data collection, reduction, and coding; salivary hormone assays; statistical analyses; and she wrote the first draft of the manuscript. DAH contributed to experimental design; computer task design and coding; and data collection. DDS contributed to computer task design, data collection, and manuscript editing. RDL contributed to statistical plan, analyses, and interpretation. EAB contributed to experimental design, computer task design, salivary hormone assays, data interpretation, manuscript editing, and aquired the research funding.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA, 70148, USA

    Ashley F. P. Sanders, Diana A. Hobbs, David D. Stephenson Jr., Robert D. Laird & Elliott A. Beaton

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  1. Ashley F. P. Sanders
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  2. Diana A. Hobbs
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  3. David D. Stephenson Jr.
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Correspondence to Elliott A. Beaton.

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Dr. Beaton reports having received research funding from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Louisiana Board of Regents and reports no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. Ms. Sanders, Ms. Hobbs, Mr. Stephenson, and Dr. Laird report no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

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Sanders, A.F.P., Hobbs, D.A., Stephenson, D.D. et al. Working Memory Impairments in Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: The Roles of Anxiety and Stress Physiology. J Autism Dev Disord 47, 992–1005 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-3011-2

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