Down syndrome: Verbal short-term memory from preschool years to old age

Down syndrome is due to a chromosomal abnormality in the 21 pair of chromosomes. The language development of people with Down syndrome is related to the development of their cognitive functions. Although it is not clear exactly how and when the transition from one stage to another takes place, it is accepted that the cognitive mechanisms involved are different from those in children of typical development. This is due partly to the developmental problems associated with the syndrome, which include different language anatomy, hearing problems and reduced short-term memory. The role of verbal short-term memory is crucial, since it appears to affect all the individual systems of language reception and production.