RUNNING TITLE: verbal STM in VCFS

Background. Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS, 22q11.2 deletion) is characterized by severely delayed language development. The current study explored the integrity of verbal short-term memory, a cognitive function critically involved in language development, in 8 children with VCFS. Method. Using a multiple case study design, we presented a series of short-term memory tasks exploring immediate serial recall for word and nonword lists to 8 children with VCFS (aged 8-12 years) and to chronological age-matched control groups. A first task assessed the integrity of phonological coding in verbal short-term memory by comparing recall for phonologically similar and dissimilar words. Subsequently, the interaction between verbal knowledge and short-term memory capacity was investigated by comparing recall for high and low imageability words, for high and low frequency words, and for words and nonwords. A final task assessed short-term serial order recognition for digit sequences. Results. When computing the number of items recalled in the word recall tasks, independently of their serial position, only one patient presented consistent difficulties. Short