Verbal and visuo-spatial working memory in cerebral palsy patients

To investigate the differences in verbal and visuo-spatial memory abilities in cerebral palsy patients. Twenty-seven cerebral palsy patients with dysarthria, 29 cerebral palsy patients without dysarthria and 32 mental age-matched normally developed controls were compared using a Digit span test, a Verbal learning test, the Corsi Tapping test and a Figure memory test. We found that Verbal and visual working memory functioning is selectively impaired in CP patients. Dysarthria in CP patients may play an important role both in verbal and visuo-spatial working memory. The two components of working memory, PL and VSSP, work in synergy and especially in high point tasks.