Written by: Daniella Marchese
Edited by: Morgan Diep
Many people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may develop extraordinary skills, one of them being an amazing memory—remembering events in extreme detail that most people would forget. This includes remembering what they had for breakfast last Tuesday or all the gifts they received on their 9th birthday. Ullman and Pullman suggest that these extraordinary skills, including declarative memory, are developed in compensation for the deficits associated with ASD (2015). However, how does this memory system last over time? Some research has shown a link between ASD and Dementia. This paper will discuss the links between ASD and Dementia as well as the research that still needs to be done on this topic.
Autism Spectrum Disorder, according to DSM-5, is classified as “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts” and “restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities” (2022, p. 57). This is a spectrum disorder because the symptoms can vary from person to person, where some people may have more impairments while others may have higher functioning abilities. Declarative memory refers to the memory system for facts and events, such as what you learned in your second-grade history class or what you did for your 16th birthday (Ullman and Pullman 2015). For people without ASD, the declarative memory system tends to remember things you deem important to remember. Whereas for some people with ASD, the declarative memory system compensates for other neurological deficits and can remember more.
As discussed previously, ASD symptoms appear differently for different people. Therefore not all people with ASD may have this enhanced memory. However, does this memory system diminish over time for people with ASD? Recent studies have tried to see if there is a link between ASD and Dementia. According to the National Institute on Aging, Dementia is characterized by “the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities” (2023). Research is constantly being done on both Dementia and Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, little research has been done to see if there are any relations between the two.
One national study was conducted at Drexel University to see the prevalence of ASD and early-onset dementia in people aged 30-64 (Vivanti et al. 2021). They found that the participants in the study with ASD were about “2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia” than the general study population (Vivanti et al. 2021, pg. 1). Another study conducted by the University of Kentucky found similar results (Rhodus et al. 2020). Participants in this study with higher autism index rating scores experienced cognitive impairments in memory earlier than those who scored lower on the autism index rating (Rhodus et al. 2020, pg. 5). While more research needs to be done, both studies support the conclusion that people with ASD are at higher risk for dementia and are more likely to be diagnosed earlier than people without ASD.
Some limitations to the research previously done on links between ASD and dementia include the lack of an age-stratified sample and the lack of a longitudinal study. Most of the studies done looked only at older populations and at one point in time. More research needs to be done to assess if the signs of memory loss observed in these studies were present during all of development. Also, research needs to be done to analyze whether people who have a stronger memory earlier in life with ASD are still susceptible to this trend. This research is important because intervention for both ASD and dementia can make a big difference in the lives of people with ASD.
References:
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR. (2022). American
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Rhodus, E. K., Barber, J., Abner, E. L., Duff, D. M. C., Bardach, S. H., Caban-Holt, A., Lightner,
D., Rowles, G. D., Schmitt, F. A., & Jicha, G. A. (2020). Behaviors Characteristic of
Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Geriatric Cohort With Mild Cognitive Impairment or
Early Dementia. Alzheimer's disease and associated disorders, 34(1), 66–71.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, April 5). Alzheimer’s disease fact sheet.
National Institute on Aging.
Ullman, M., & Pullman, M. (2015, March 17). Powerful memory system may compensate for
autism’s deficits. Spectrum News.
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Vivanti, G., Tao, S., Lyall, K., Robins, D. L., & Shea, L. L. (2021). The prevalence and
incidence of early-onset dementia among adults with autism spectrum
disorder. Autism research: official journal of the International Society for
Autism Research, 14(10), 2189–2199. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2590
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