Memory in Autism: A Case of Remembering Versus Knowing

Sabine Huemer*

Memory in Autism: A Case of Remembering Versus Knowing.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fifth Edition, the DSM autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent social communication deficits and repetitive patterns of behavior including intense preoccupations and inflexible adherence to routines.
ASD may occur with or without accompanying intellectual impairment and the severity of the disorder may fluctuate over time. Previously, an ASD diagnosis based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fourth Edition fell into one of 5 subtypes, most prominently, Asperger’s syndrome and autism, diagnoses that indicated a generally higher or lower level of functioning.

This brief report attempts to review literature on memory in ASD with a special focus on the discrepancy between an intact, at times, even extraordinary memory for large amounts of factual information and an often impaired memory for autobiographical information. A look at memory patterns in ASD may be helpful in understanding learning differences and aid in the customization of targeted intervention strategies.

Experimental studies on memory in ASD reveal a pattern of unimpaired memory span alongside impaired free recall. When asked to recall a sequence of dot locations in order, Bowler et al9
revealed impairments in non-verbal short-term serial order memory in adults with ASD as compared to typical individuals. Together with parallel findings using verbal material, these results indicate that order processing appears to be a cross-domain deficit in ASD. Experimental studies on memory in ASD reveal a pattern of unimpaired memory span alongside impaired free recall.

Psychol Cogn Sci Open J. 2016; 3(1): 1-5. doi: 10.17140/PCSOJ-3-118

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