Working memory deficits in high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: neuropsychological and neuroimaging correlates

Abstract

Working memory is a temporary storage system under attentional control. It is believed to play a central role in online processing of complex cognitive information and may also play a role in social cognition and interpersonal interactions. Adolescents with a disorder on the autism spectrum display problems in precisely these domains. Social impairments, communication difficulties, and repetitive interests and activities are core domains of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and executive function problems are often seen throughout the spectrum. As the main cognitive theories of ASD, including the theory of mind deficit hypotheses, weak central coherence account, and the executive dysfunction theory, still fail to explain the broad spectrum of symptoms, a new perspective on the etiology of ASD is needed. Deficits in working memory are central to many theories of psychopathology, and are generally linked to frontal-lobe dysfunction. This article will review neuropsychological and (functional) brain imaging studies on working memory in adolescents with ASD. Although still disputed, it is concluded that within the working memory system specific problems of spatial working memory are often seen in adolescents with ASD. These problems increase when information is more complex and greater demands on working memory are made. Neuroimaging studies indicate a more global working memory processing or connectivity deficiency, rather than a focused deficit in the prefrontal cortex. More research is needed to relate these working memory difficulties and neuroimaging results in ASD to the behavioral difficulties as seen in individuals with a disorder on the autism spectrum.

Fragile Spectral and Temporal Auditory Processing in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Early Language Delay

“…Ahissar et al 2006;Ahissar 2007). Restrictions in auditory short-term memory and working memory have indeed been demonstrated in individuals with ASD (e.g., Barendse et al 2013; but see Stanutz et al 2014 for evidence of enhanced pitch memory in ASD) or in individuals with severe language impairment (e.g., Archibald and Gathercole 2006). Yet, in the study of Bhatara et al (2013) the significant 4,000 Hz FD deficit in adolescents with ASD was observed in a fixed reference FD task which may have minimized memory involvement by allowing the construction of a perceptual anchor.…”

Neuropsychological Performance of Egyptian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

“…Our findings are also consistent with previous studies (Barron-Linnankoski et al, 2015;Blair et al 2002;Garcia, 2001;Hooper, Poon, Marcus, & Fine, 2006;Korkman, Kirk, & Kemp, 1998;Minshew and Goldstein 2001;Narzisi et al, 2013;O'shea et al, 2005;Williams, Goldstein, & Minshew, 2006a;Williams, Goldstein, & Minshew, 2006b). Deficits in verbal working memory, difficulties in developing strategies for free recall of information, and difficulties in organizing words and resisting interference are further reasons to favor pictorial information instead of lexical in the interventions and in the teaching materials provided for children with ASD (Bowler, Matthews, & Gardiner, 1997;Barendse et al, 2013;Narzisi et al, 2013).…”

Tarefas que avaliam a memória operacional na infância e adolescência: uma revisão sistemática da literatura

“…A aprendizagem requer a manipulação da informação, interação com a memória de longo prazo e, simultaneamente, armazenamento e processamento da informação (Dehn, 2008). Existem evidências extensas na literatura de prejuízos associados a MO e diferentes quadros de transtornos que podem aparecer na infância e adolescência como TDAH, dislexia, síndromes genéticas, problemas de sono, depressão, esquizofrenia, transtorno bipolar, autismo, estresse, entre outros (Barendse, et al 2013;Leutwyler et al 2013;Mervis & Velleman, 2011;Skogan, et al 2013;Talarowska, Zboralski, & Gałecki, 2013;Tucker, 2013;Wang & Gathercole, 2013). A partir dos estudos citados, a MO parece ser uma função chave em muitos quadros que apresentam alterações no desenvolvimento.…”