Relationship between early executive function, comorbidities, and motor skills in infants with Down syndrome

Abstract

Over the last decade, there has been increased research on executive function including working memory, inhibition, shifting, and planning in Down syndrome, yet there are still unanswered questions. The extant research demonstrates that Down syndrome is associated with deficits in executive function, motor skills, and a higher probability of exhibiting comorbid diagnoses. Shifting in infancy is associated with infant motor skills and later school outcomes such as memory in typical development. Questions remain regarding how these factors interact in infants with Down syndrome. The current study examined the associations between shifting performance, co-occurring conditions (congenital heart defects [CHD] and prematurity), and motor skills in infants with Down syndrome. Participants were 51 infants with Down syndrome, mean infant chronological age (CA)=15.9 months; SD=3.95; mean infant developmental age=10.73, SD=0.36, Overall, 41.2% of the infant participants were born prematurely (n=21), and 45.1% had CHD (n=23). The results indicate no statistically significant association between co-occurring conditions (CHD and prematurity) and shifting abilities. Additionally, associations between motor skills and shifting performance were not statistically significant. Future research should include a larger sample size and a longitudinal design to better understand the nature of these relationships.