Memory issues pose an additional challenge for children with autism.
Memory issues pose an additional challenge for children with autism.
Autism and Memory: Unraveling the Connection
Children with autism are well-known for their difficulties with social interactions. However, a recent study has shed light on another area where they may struggle: memory. Researchers have found that compared to their peers, school-age children with autism often have a hard time managing memory tasks. This includes difficulties in remembering faces, words, and other types of information. The study has further revealed that these memory deficits can be traced to specific hyperconnected brain circuitry. These findings suggest that memory challenges may be a more significant issue for children with autism than previously recognized, highlighting the need for additional support and accommodations in school and other services.
Lead author Jin Liu, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine, points out that children with “high-functioning” autism, who attend mainstream schools and receive the same instruction as their peers, may still struggle with memory issues, despite having high IQs. This implies the necessity of providing extra help for these children.
Autism, a developmental brain disorder, affects individuals to varying degrees, impairing communication and social skills. Some children with autism experience milder difficulties, while others are profoundly affected. Research into memory issues in autism has been limited. Previous studies have shown that children with autism can have a harder time remembering faces compared to typically developing children, but little is known about their broader memory difficulties.
Memory skills are crucial for school and work performance and also play an under-appreciated role in social relationships. Socializing is a complex process that requires various skills, including episodic memory, which involves recalling details and associated emotions of past events. Even seemingly simple memory for objects can impact social interactions among school children. For example, a child with autism who struggles to remember that a classmate’s backpack is different from their own may face challenges in relating to their peer.
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To delve deeper into the relationship between autism and memory, Liu and her colleagues conducted a study involving 25 children with autism and 29 typically developing children. All participants were between the ages of 8 and 12 and had average to above-average IQ. Standard memory tests were administered to assess the children’s ability to recognize whether they had seen an image or heard a word before and to recall specific details from those past experiences. The study found that, on average, children with autism scored lower on these memory tests compared to their typically developing peers.
One significant difference observed in the study was that among typically developing children, face and non-social memory performance tended to be consistent. In contrast, among children with autism, these two aspects of memory did not always match up. For instance, face memory might be worse than non-social memory. Functional MRI scans were used to track the children’s brain activity, providing insight into potential reasons for these memory differences in children with autism.
The study revealed that memory difficulties in general were attributed to hyperactivity in the hippocampus, a brain structure well-known for its involvement in memory. Conversely, struggles with face memory were linked to a brain area called the posterior cingulate cortex, which plays a role in social abilities and self-distinction from others. However, it should be noted that these findings do not confirm a cause-and-effect relationship between abnormal brain activity and memory problems in children with autism.
The findings of this study may not come as a surprise to parents who know their children best. Parents often notice difficulties with general memory in their children with autism. Although the study does not provide clear solutions on how to best help children with memory difficulties, it raises awareness about the importance of looking beyond the core symptoms of autism when evaluating the needs of individuals on the spectrum. Alycia Halladay, the chief science officer for the nonprofit Autism Science Foundation, agrees. She highlights that memory challenges can have far-reaching effects, impacting school performance, daily living, and overall well-being.
In conclusion, this study sheds light on the memory challenges faced by children with autism. It underscores the significance of recognizing and addressing these difficulties to provide appropriate support. By gaining a better understanding of the connection between autism and memory, we can help individuals on the spectrum thrive in various aspects of their lives.
Sources
- Jin Liu, PhD, postdoctoral scholar, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif.
- Alycia Halladay, PhD, chief science officer, Autism Science Foundation, Scarsdale, N.Y.
- Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, July 10, 2023, online
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on autism.
##### QUESTION Autism is a developmental disability.
