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Minor GN, Hannula DE, Gordon A, Ragland JD, Iosif AM, Solomon M. Relational memory weakness in autism despite the use of a controlled encoding task. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1210259. [PMID: 37691809 PMCID: PMC10484720 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1210259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recent work challenged past findings that documented relational memory impairments in autism. Previous studies often relied solely on explicit behavioral responses to assess relational memory integrity, but successful performance on behavioral tasks may rely on other cognitive abilities (e.g., executive functioning) that are impacted in some autistic individuals. Eye-tracking tasks do not require explicit behavioral responses, and, further, eye movements provide an indirect measure of memory. The current study examined whether memory-specific viewing patterns toward scenes differ between autistic and non-autistic individuals. Methods Using a long-term memory paradigm that equated for complexity between item and relational memory tasks, participants studied a series of scenes. Following the initial study phase, scenes were re-presented, accompanied by an orienting question that directed participants to attend to either features of an item (i.e., in the item condition) or spatial relationships between items (i.e., in the relational condition) that might be subsequently modified during test. At test, participants viewed scenes that were unchanged (i.e., repeated from study), scenes that underwent an "item" modification (an exemplar switch) or a "relational" modification (a location switch), and scenes that had not been presented before. Eye movements were recorded throughout. Results During study, there were no significant group differences in viewing directed to regions of scenes that might be manipulated at test, suggesting comparable processing of scene details during encoding. However, there was a group difference in explicit recognition accuracy for scenes that underwent a relational change. Marginal group differences in the expression of memory-based viewing effects during test for relational scenes were consistent with this behavioral outcome, particularly when analyses were limited to scenes recognized correctly with high confidence. Group differences were also evident in correlational analyses that examined the association between study phase viewing and recognition accuracy and between performance on the Picture Sequence Memory Test and recognition accuracy. Discussion Together, our findings suggest differences in the integrity of relational memory representations and/or in the relationships between subcomponents of memory in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta N. Minor
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Deborah E. Hannula
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Andrew Gordon
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - J. Daniel Ragland
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ana-Maria Iosif
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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2
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Desaunay P, Guillery B, Moussaoui E, Eustache F, Bowler DM, Guénolé F. Brain correlates of declarative memory atypicalities in autism: a systematic review of functional neuroimaging findings. Mol Autism 2023; 14:2. [PMID: 36627713 PMCID: PMC9832704 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00525-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The long-described atypicalities of memory functioning experienced by people with autism have major implications for daily living, academic learning, as well as cognitive remediation. Though behavioral studies have identified a robust profile of memory strengths and weaknesses in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), few works have attempted to establish a synthesis concerning their neural bases. In this systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies, we highlight functional brain asymmetries in three anatomical planes during memory processing between individuals with ASD and typical development. These asymmetries consist of greater activity of the left hemisphere than the right in ASD participants, of posterior brain regions-including hippocampus-rather than anterior ones, and presumably of the ventral (occipito-temporal) streams rather than the dorsal (occipito-parietal) ones. These functional alterations may be linked to atypical memory processes in ASD, including the pre-eminence of verbal over spatial information, impaired active maintenance in working memory, and preserved relational memory despite poor context processing in episodic memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Desaunay
- grid.411149.80000 0004 0472 0160Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen Normandie, 27 rue des compagnons, 14000 Caen, France ,grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France
| | - Bérengère Guillery
- grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France
| | - Edgar Moussaoui
- grid.411149.80000 0004 0472 0160Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen Normandie, 27 rue des compagnons, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Francis Eustache
- grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France
| | - Dermot M. Bowler
- grid.28577.3f0000 0004 1936 8497Autism Research Group, City University of London, DG04 Rhind Building, Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB London, UK
| | - Fabian Guénolé
- grid.411149.80000 0004 0472 0160Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen Normandie, 27 rue des compagnons, 14000 Caen, France ,grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076EPHE, INSERM, U1077, Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé, CHU de Caen Normandie, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen Cedex CS, France ,grid.412043.00000 0001 2186 4076Faculté de Médecine, Pôle des Formation et de Recherche en Santé, Université de Caen Normandie, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14032 Caen cedex CS, France
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3
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The Episodic Memory Profile in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychol Rev 2021; 32:316-351. [PMID: 33954915 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-021-09493-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Although autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are commonly characterized by diminished episodic memory, the literature in this area is mixed. We address these inconsistent findings by employing multilevel Bayesian meta-analysis to quantify episodic memory differences between individuals with ASD and typically developing (TD) controls. We used meta-regression to evaluate the effects of test modality (e.g., word list, story recall), delay interval (immediate vs. delayed), retrieval demands (recognition vs. recall), and sensory modality (auditory vs. visual) on episodic memory in ASD. A total of 338 effect sizes from 113 empirical articles, including 5,632 unique participants (ASD = 2,777, TD = 2,855), were included. Results show that the memory deficits associated with ASD were larger for recall (g = -0.52, se = 0.04, 95% CrI [-0.60, -0.43]) compared to recognition (g = -0.25, se = 0.05, 95% CrI [-0.35, -0.14]) and differed based on the testing modality. For example, effect sizes were smallest for words (g = -0.28, se = 0.05, 95% CrI [-0.38, -0.18]), pictures (g = -0.38, se = 0.07, 95% CrI [-0.52, -0.24]), and figure reproduction (g = -0.49, se = 0.11, 95% CrI [-0.70, -0.27]). However, effect sizes for sentences (g = -0.59, se = 0.20, 95% CrI [-1.00, -0.21]), stories (Hedges' g = -0.54, se = 0.08, 95% CrI [-0.69, -0.38]) and staged events (g = -0.75, se = 0.10, 95% CrI [-0.95, -0.55]) were much larger. These findings suggest that ASD is associated with a small to medium reduction in scores on episodic memory tests relative to TD controls.
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4
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Ring M, Guillery-Girard B, Quinette P, Gaigg SB, Bowler DM. Short-Term Memory Span and Cross-Modality Integration in Younger and Older Adults With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 13:1970-1984. [PMID: 32926571 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This study tested whether adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show the same pattern of difficulties and absence of age-related differences in short-term memory (STM) as those that have been reported in episodic long-term memory (LTM). Fifty-three adults with ASD (age range: 25-65 years) were compared to 52 age-, biological sex-, and intelligence-matched typically developing (TD; age range: 21-67 years) adults on three STM span tasks, which tested STM performance for letters (Verbal), grid locations (Visuospatial), or letters in grid locations (Multimodal). A subsample of 34 TD and 33 ASD participants ranging in age from 25 to 64 years completed a fourth Multimodal Integration task. We also administered the Color Trails Test as a measure of executive function. ASD participants' accuracy was lower than that of the TD participants on the three span tasks (Cohen's d: 0.26-0.50). The Integration task difference was marginally significant (p = .07) but had a moderate effect size (Cohen's d = 0.50). Regression analyses confirmed reduced STM performance only for older TD participants. Analyses also indicated that executive processes played a greater role in the ASD group's performance. The demonstration of similar difficulties and age-related patterning of STM in ASD to those documented for LTM and the greater recruitment of executive processes by older ASD participants on the Integration task suggest a compensatory role of frontal processes both as a means of achieving undiminished task performance and as a possible protection against older age cognitive decline in ASD. Longitudinal research is needed to confirm this. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1970-1984. © 2020 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC. LAY SUMMARY: Little is known about short-term memory (STM) in younger and older adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study tested different kinds of STM and showed that ASD adults remembered shorter sequences of letters, crosses, or letters in grid cells less well than matched participants with typical development. However, older ASD individuals performed similarly to younger ASD individuals, nor showing the reduction in performance usually seen with older age. The data suggest that ASD individuals use different underlying mechanisms when performing the tasks and that this might help protect their memory as they grow older.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Ring
- Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK
| | - Bérengère Guillery-Girard
- Normandie Univ., UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Peggy Quinette
- Normandie Univ., UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Sebastian B Gaigg
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK
| | - Dermot M Bowler
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK
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5
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Exploring the Event‐Related Potentials' Time Course of Associative Recognition in Autism. Autism Res 2020; 13:1998-2016. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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6
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Navarro MC, Marmolejo-Ramos F, Vásquez V, Carrea B, Vélez JI, Mebarak Chams M. An Exploratory Study for Assessment of Multimodal Semantic Memory in Colombian Children. Int J Psychol Res (Medellin) 2020; 13:49-58. [PMID: 33329877 PMCID: PMC7735520 DOI: 10.21500/20112084.4847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Semantic memory (SM) is a type of long-term memory associated with the storage of general information about the world. Here we assessed the characteristics of the SM battery, developed by Catricalà et al. (2013), in a sample of Colombian children. This battery was originally conceived to evaluate adults, and features six subtests that assess SM in different modalities, using a common set of 48 stimuli in both living and nonliving categories. The design of the current study is of a cross-sectional and exploratory type. The sample was composed of 111 children, 57 boys (51%) and 54 girls (49%), who were 6 (n = 68) and 7 (n = 43) years old and had no intellectual disability. Robust linear regression models and correlation networks were used. We found an effect of age on general intelligence after correcting for gender, and no differences on the six subtest scores after corrections for gender and age were performed. Furthermore, age was found to be positively associated with the naming of colored photographs (β = .75, p = .039), naming in response to an oral description (β = 1.81, p = .039), picture sorting at four levels (β = 7.22, p = .029), and sentence verification (β = 26.66, p = .01). In addition, there were differences between the results obtained in adults in the original study and in the children of our study. This exploratory study supports the feasibility of the Spanish translation of the Catricalà et al. (2013) battery to assess SM in children with a nonclinical condition. Future studies are needed to evaluate the psychometric properties of this SM battery, and to corroborate and expand our findings in a larger sample of control children, and in children with some degree of intellectual disability or suffering of some neurodegenerative or psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- María C Navarro
- . Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Universidad del Norte Universidad del Norte Barranquilla Colombia
| | - Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos
- . Center for Change and Complexity in Learning, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. University of South Australia University of South Australia Adelaide Australia
| | - Valentina Vásquez
- . Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Universidad del Norte Universidad del Norte Barranquilla Colombia
| | - Bárbara Carrea
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Bogotá Colombia
| | - Jorge I Vélez
- . Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Universidad del Norte Universidad del Norte Barranquilla Colombia
| | - Moisés Mebarak Chams
- . Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Universidad del Norte Universidad del Norte Barranquilla Colombia
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7
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A Physiological Marker of Recognition Memory in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder? ‐ The Pupil Old/New Effect. Autism Res 2019; 13:627-640. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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8
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Anger M, Wantzen P, Le Vaillant J, Malvy J, Bon L, Guénolé F, Moussaoui E, Barthelemy C, Bonnet-Brilhault F, Eustache F, Baleyte JM, Guillery-Girard B. Positive Effect of Visual Cuing in Episodic Memory and Episodic Future Thinking in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1513. [PMID: 31354565 PMCID: PMC6629950 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive studies generally report impaired autobiographical memory in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but mostly using verbal paradigms. In the present study, we therefore investigated the properties of both past and future autobiographical productions using visual cues in 16 boys with ASD and 16 typically developing (TD) participants aged between 10 and 18 years. We focused on sensory properties, emotional properties, and recollection, probing past and future productions for both near and distant time periods. Results showed that the ASD group performed more poorly than controls on free recall for recent periods, but performed like them when provided with visual cues. In addition, the ASD group reported fewer sensory details than controls and exhibited difficulties in the experience of recollection for the most remote events. These data suggest a combination of consolidation and binding deficits. Finally, our findings reveal the relevance of using visual cues to probe autobiographical memory, with possible perspectives for memory rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Anger
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Prany Wantzen
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Justine Le Vaillant
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Joëlle Malvy
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Laetitia Bon
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Fabian Guénolé
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Edgar Moussaoui
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Catherine Barthelemy
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, INSERM, Centre Universitaire de Pédopsychiatrie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Francis Eustache
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
| | - Jean-Marc Baleyte
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l’Enfant et de l’Adolescent, CHI de Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Bérengère Guillery-Girard
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Universités Paris, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, Caen, France
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Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that the subjective experience of recollection is diminished in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical individuals. The neurocognitive basis of this difference in how past events are re-experienced has been debated and various theoretical accounts have been proposed to date. Although each existing theory may capture particular features of memory in ASD, recent research questions whether any of these explanations are alone sufficient or indeed fully supported. This review first briefly considers the cognitive neuroscience of how episodic recollection operates in the neurotypical population, informing predictions about the encoding and retrieval mechanisms that might function atypically in ASD. We then review existing research on recollection in ASD, which has often not distinguished between different theoretical explanations. Recent evidence suggests a distinct difficulty engaging recollective retrieval processes, specifically the ability to consciously reconstruct and monitor a past experience, which is likely underpinned by altered functional interactions between neurocognitive systems rather than brain region-specific or process-specific dysfunction. This integrative approach serves to highlight how memory research in ASD may enhance our understanding of memory processes and networks in the typical brain. We make suggestions for future research that are important for further specifying the neurocognitive basis of episodic recollection in ASD and linking such difficulties to social developmental and educational outcomes.
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Semino S, Ring M, Bowler DM, Gaigg SB. The Influence of task Demands, Verbal Ability and Executive Functions on Item and Source Memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 48:184-197. [PMID: 28921058 PMCID: PMC5760601 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3299-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is generally associated with difficulties in contextual source memory but not single item memory. There are surprising inconsistencies in the literature, however, that the current study seeks to address by examining item and source memory in age and ability matched groups of 22 ASD and 21 comparison adults. Results show that group differences in source memory are moderated by task demands but not by individual differences in verbal ability, executive function or item memory. By contrast, unexpected group differences in item memory could largely be explained by individual differences in source memory. These observations shed light on the factors underlying inconsistent findings in the memory literature in ASD, which has important implications for theory and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Semino
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, Corso A. Podesta, 2, 16128, Genoa, Italy
| | - Melanie Ring
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of the Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dermot M Bowler
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
| | - Sebastian B Gaigg
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK.
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11
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Cooper RA, Richter FR, Bays PM, Plaisted-Grant KC, Baron-Cohen S, Simons JS. Reduced Hippocampal Functional Connectivity During Episodic Memory Retrieval in Autism. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:888-902. [PMID: 28057726 PMCID: PMC5390398 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing recent research has sought to understand the recollection impairments experienced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we tested whether these memory deficits reflect a reduction in the probability of retrieval success or in the precision of memory representations. We also used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the neural mechanisms underlying memory encoding and retrieval in ASD, focusing particularly on the functional connectivity of core episodic memory networks. Adults with ASD and typical control participants completed a memory task that involved studying visual displays and subsequently using a continuous dial to recreate their appearance. The ASD group exhibited reduced retrieval success, but there was no evidence of a difference in retrieval precision. fMRI data revealed similar patterns of brain activity and functional connectivity during memory encoding in the 2 groups, though encoding-related lateral frontal activity predicted subsequent retrieval success only in the control group. During memory retrieval, the ASD group exhibited attenuated lateral frontal activity and substantially reduced hippocampal connectivity, particularly between hippocampus and regions of the fronto-parietal control network. These findings demonstrate notable differences in brain function during episodic memory retrieval in ASD and highlight the importance of functional connectivity to understanding recollection-related retrieval deficits in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose A Cooper
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | | | - Paul M Bays
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | | | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK
| | - Jon S Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
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12
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Bowler DM, Poirier M, Martin JS, Gaigg SB. Nonverbal short-term serial order memory in autism spectrum disorder. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 125:886-893. [PMID: 27732024 PMCID: PMC5070914 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
To clarify the role of item and order memory in the serial recall of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we carried out 2 experiments in which adults with ASD and comparison participants matched on chronological age and verbal IQ saw sequences of 7 dots appear sequentially in a 3 × 4 grid. In Experiment 1 (serial recall), they had to recall the locations and the presentation order of the dots by tapping locations on an empty grid. In Experiment 2, (order reconstruction) the studied dots were provided at test and participants had to touch them in their order of appearance at study. Experiment 1 revealed diminished item and order recall in the ASD group; Experiment 2 revealed diminished order recall only when verbal IQ was controlled. The results support the view that people with ASD have particular difficulty with serial order recall but may use their language ability to achieve better serial recall performance. When asked to recall a sequence of dot locations in order, adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make more errors in recalling the order of the locations than do matched typical individuals. This difficulty is less evident when the dot locations are provided at test, and participants simply have to reconstruct the order in which they originally appeared. Together with parallel findings using verbal material, there appears to be a general (cross-domain) deficit in order processing in individuals with a diagnosis of ASD. There is also some evidence that the ASD participants relied on language capability to accomplish this nonverbal task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dermot M Bowler
- Devon Autism and ADHD Service, Department of Psychology, City, University of London
| | - Marie Poirier
- Devon Autism and ADHD Service, Department of Psychology, City, University of London
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13
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Cooper RA, Plaisted-Grant KC, Baron-Cohen S, Simons JS. Reality Monitoring and Metamemory in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 46:2186-2198. [PMID: 26899724 PMCID: PMC4860197 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2749-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Studies of reality monitoring (RM) often implicate medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in distinguishing internal and external information, a region linked to autism-related deficits in social and self-referential information processing, executive function, and memory. This study used two RM conditions (self-other; perceived-imagined) to investigate RM and metamemory in adults with autism. The autism group showed a deficit in RM, which did not differ across source conditions, and both groups exhibited a self-encoding benefit on recognition and source memory. Metamemory for perceived-imagined information, but not for self-other information, was significantly lower in the autism group. Therefore, reality monitoring and metamemory, sensitive to mPFC function, appear impaired in autism, highlighting a difficulty in remembering and monitoring internal and external details of past events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose A Cooper
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Kate C Plaisted-Grant
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jon S Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
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Mecklinger A, Rosburg T, Johansson M. Reconstructing the past: The late posterior negativity (LPN) in episodic memory studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 68:621-638. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Solomon M, McCauley JB, Iosif AM, Carter CS, Ragland JD. Cognitive control and episodic memory in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Neuropsychologia 2016; 89:31-41. [PMID: 27184119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To further investigate manifestations of episodic memory impairments in adolescents, we examined the role of encoding on recognition of stimuli in conditions designed to emphasize their item-specific versus relational characteristics in a group of 12-18 year olds with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We also examined how strategic learning and memory processes, verbal abilities, attention, and age were associated with recognition in this group. MATERIALS AND METHOD Twenty two high functioning adolescents with ASD (mean age=15 years; SD=1.8; range=12.2-17.9), and 26 age, gender, and IQ-matched adolescents with typical development (TYP) (mean age=14.7 years; SD=1.9; range=12.3-17.8) completed the Relational and Item-Specific Encoding task (RiSE), the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C), the Wechsler Abbreviated Scales of Intelligence, and the Connors' Parent Rating Scale-Revised. Univariate statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS The ASD group showed poorer performance on strategic memory assessed by the CVLT-C. Surprisingly, on the RiSE, ASD showed poorer discriminability for objects encoded in item-specific versus relational encoding conditions and were more impaired in familiarity (after relational encoding) than in recollection. ASD also did not show the hypothesized association between item and associative recognition and CVLT-C performance found in TYP. Instead, in the ASD group recognition was associated with increased age. CONCLUSIONS Findings from the RiSE task demonstrated that adolescents with ASD do not always exhibit impaired memory for relational information as commonly believed. Instead, memory was worse when cognitive control demands were high, when encoding focused on specific item features, and when familiarity was used to retrieve relational information. Recognition also was better in older participants. This suggests that learning and memory deficits in adolescents with ASD, may not be due primarily to failed relational binding processes in the hippocampus but, rather to disrupted strategic memory and familiarity processes associated with the prefrontal and perirhinal cortices. These findings demonstrate the importance and utility of using well-validated cognitive neuroscience tasks and of considering the ages of participants when comparing the neural underpinnings of different memory processes in both typical and atypical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie Solomon
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California-Davis, 2230 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; Imaging Research Center, University of California-Davis, 4701 X Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; MIND Institute, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.
| | - James B McCauley
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California-Davis, 2230 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; MIND Institute, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; Department of Human Ecology, University of California-Davis, 131 Hunt Hall, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95618, United States.
| | - Ana-Maria Iosif
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California-Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Cameron S Carter
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California-Davis, 2230 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; Imaging Research Center, University of California-Davis, 4701 X Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of California-Davis, 1544 Newton Ct, Davis, CA 95618, United States.
| | - J Daniel Ragland
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California-Davis, 2230 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; Imaging Research Center, University of California-Davis, 4701 X Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States.
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Meyer BJ, Gardiner JM, Bowler DM. Directed forgetting in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2014; 44:2514-24. [PMID: 24722763 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2121-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Rehearsal strategies of adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and demographically matched typically developed (TD) adults were strategically manipulated by cueing participants to either learn, or forget each list word prior to a recognition task. Participants were also asked to distinguish between autonoetic and noetic states of awareness using the Remember/Know paradigm. The ASD group recognised a similar number of to-be-forgotten words as the TD group, but significantly fewer to-be-learned words. This deficit was only evident in Remember responses that reflect autonoetic awareness, or episodic memory, and not Know responses. These findings support the elaborative encoding deficit hypothesis and provide a link between the previously established mild episodic memory impairments in adults with high functioning autism and the encoding strategies employed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda J Meyer
- Developmental Brain-Behaviour Laboratory, Psychology, University of Southampton, Building 44, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK,
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