A majority of the research has found that individuals with autism perform poorly on measures of executive function. A general decrease in working memory (WM) is one of the limitations, although some studies have found that working memory is not impaired in autistic children relative to controls matched for IQ.
Autistic people have difficulties recalling episodic memories, including retrieving fewer or less specific and detailed memories compared to typically developing people.
Abstract. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perform poorly in working memory (WM) tasks, with some literature suggesting that their impaired performance is modulated by WM load.
Many people over the age of 60 struggle with memory loss, brain fog, and mobility struggles. These symptoms are much rarer in children—with the exception of those who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Long-term visual memory — as assessed by the 30-minute drawing — declined faster in adults with autism than in controls, the researchers found. The hippocampus typically shrinks as memory declines with age. But hippocampus size didn't track with the visual-memory changes Braden's team measured.
Signs of High-Functioning Autism in Children
May appear more mature for their age and have above-average intelligence. A tendency to avoid eye contact. Trouble deviating from a routine or adapting to changes. Trouble making friends and maintaining social relationships or not “fitting in” with peers.
Long-term memory:
One study in the Journal of Attention Disorders found that adults with ADD/ADHD performed worse on long-term memory tests compared with those who don't have the condition. The researchers suggest that long-term memory impairment is related to problems encoding information.
The autistic brain shows fewer long-range connections but a lot more short-range connections. This means that with every thought, more connections are made, but also more side-steps; it produces nonlinear thought processes.
The Challenges of These Co-Occurring Disorders
The most common co-occurring personality disorder in those with autism is borderline personality disorder (BPD). Studies looking into common traits between the two found that people with ASD and BPD were significantly challenged in emotional and social functioning.
There is no consensus on whether autism is a form of brain damage. Some researchers believe that autism is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, while others argue that it is a result of brain damage.
Individuals with HFA or AS are often described as endowed with prodigious memory capacities, and capable of memorizing large quantities of information [9]. Immediate memory span [10], cued recall [11], [12] and recognition seem to be preserved, at least in autistic individuals without global cognitive impairment [13].
They may become unable to speak or care for themselves, and struggle with short-term memory. This harms their ability to perform well at jobs, in school or at home. “It's the point at which there's no more of you left to give.
Autistic people are better at logical problems but less intuitive. This doesn't necessarily mean that autistic people should have brilliant memories, on the contrary they can often be quite absent minded about certain things.
While cognitive empathy can be lower in people with autism, affective empathy—which is based on instincts and involuntary responses to the emotions of others—can be strong and overwhelming. In fact, newer research suggests that some people with autism may actually feel other people's emotions more intensely.
Autistic children are often good at learning by heart (rote memory). Many autistic children can remember large chunks of information, like conversations from movies, words to a song, number plates and so on.
Autistic people can often have trouble sleeping. There are a range of reasons for this including difficulties with relaxing or winding down and irregular melatonin levels. Problems with sleep can be an issue for both autistic adults and children.
Someone might describe themselves as having borderline autism when: they suspect they have traits of ASD but do not have a diagnosis. they have some symptoms of ASD but do not meet the criteria for ASD. they have an ASD diagnosis with a severity of level 1.
It's also worth noting that while some individuals with autism may display behavior that could be interpreted as self-centered or lacking empathy, this is not necessarily indicative of true narcissistic personality disorder.
Autism and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ADHD affects an estimated 30 to 60 percent of people with autism, versus 6 to 7 percent of the general population.
Early brain changes and autism spectrum disorder
Research is suggesting that, in future, brain scans may be used to diagnose autism, possibly even before behavioral symptoms become apparent.
Analytical Thinking: People with an autism spectrum disorder think in a logically consistent way that leads to quick decision making. These thinkers can make decisions without experiencing the framing effect that inhibits most neurotypicals from making decisions without bias.
“Daydreaming, by itself, is an example of what is called "autistic thinking ", which means thinking that is sufficient unto itself, and not subjected to any criticism.
Poor working memory can be caused by psychological stress, aging, genetics, brain injuries, and the type of information.
Forgetfulness can arise from stress, depression, lack of sleep or thyroid problems. Other causes include side effects from certain medicines, an unhealthy diet or not having enough fluids in your body (dehydration). Taking care of these underlying causes may help resolve your memory problems.
Tests, for example, show that methylphenidate — better known as the ADHD drug Ritalin — improves attention and working memory. But, as with coffee (which slightly boosts working memory), the drug can induce jitters and palpitations.