Neuropsychological Assessment of Memory in Preschoolers

• Published in: Neuropsychology review 2012-12, Vol.22 (4), p.414-424
• Main Authors: Bauer, Patricia J., Leventon, Jacqueline S., Varga, Nicole L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Child; Child Development - physiology; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Male; Memory; Memory - classification; Memory - physiology; Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Neurosciences; Preschool children; Review; Semantics
• ISSN: 1040-7308; 1573-6660
• DOI: 10.1007/s11065-012-9219-9

Memory is of fundamental importance for cognitive, social, and educational function, making it a target for neuropsychological assessment. The subject of this review is one particular type of memory, namely, episodic memory of unique events and experiences. Episodic memory allows for rapid, even one-trial learning of new information and retention of it for later retrieval. It depends on a particular neural substrate that undergoes a protracted developmental course. The review features discussion of some of the challenges associated with valid assessment of this specific form of memory in the preschool period, as well as a description and critical evaluation of available standardized measures. It also features description of two new approaches to assessment of episodic memory and their sensitivity to memory-specific deficits in the preschool years and in infancy. The review ends with introduction of the NIH Toolbox Picture Sequence Memory Test, designed as a measure of episodic memory in the preschool years and beyond.