Difference between revisions of "Working Memory in ASD"
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===Working Memory and ASD=== | ===Working Memory and ASD=== | ||
| − | Working memory appears to be abnormal in those with ASD through studies which have used working memory tasks in ASD populations and the general population. ODR studies involving high-functioning autistic participants suggest that the ASD groups have reduced accuracy in memory guided saccades. Deficits are present in both adults with ASD and adolescents with ASD, but there appears to be improvement in performance from childhood to adolescence.<sup>1</sup> One study found most of the circuitry involved in Working Memory intact in those with autism, including the insula, intraparietal sulcus, basal ganglia, thalamus, supramarginal gyrus, FEF, SEF, presupplementary motor area, ACC, precuneus, and cerebellum. The authors suggested that there may be a specific impairment involving the connectivity of prefrontal cortex with the posterior cortex. < | + | Working memory appears to be abnormal in those with ASD through studies which have used working memory tasks in ASD populations and the general population. ODR studies involving high-functioning autistic participants suggest that the ASD groups have reduced accuracy in memory guided saccades. Deficits are present in both adults with ASD and adolescents with ASD, but there appears to be improvement in performance from childhood to adolescence.<sup>1</sup> One study found most of the circuitry involved in Working Memory intact in those with autism, including the insula, intraparietal sulcus, basal ganglia, thalamus, supramarginal gyrus, FEF, SEF, presupplementary motor area, ACC, precuneus, and cerebellum. The authors suggested that there may be a specific impairment involving the connectivity of prefrontal cortex with the posterior cortex. <sup>2</sup> |
There have also been evidence that working memory is not significantly different in those with ASD. The discrepancies may indicate compensatory mechanisms employed by participants to improve performance.<sup>1</sup> | There have also been evidence that working memory is not significantly different in those with ASD. The discrepancies may indicate compensatory mechanisms employed by participants to improve performance.<sup>1</sup> | ||
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| + | ====Tests which assess Working Memory==== | ||
| + | #[[Oculomotor Delayed Response task]] | ||
| + | #[[Self-ordered Search task]] | ||
| + | #[[Spatial Span]] | ||
====Citations==== | ====Citations==== | ||
1. O'Hearn K et. al. '''Neurodevelopment and executive function in autism.'''Dev Psychopathol. 2008 Fall;20(4):1103-32. PMID 18838033 | 1. O'Hearn K et. al. '''Neurodevelopment and executive function in autism.'''Dev Psychopathol. 2008 Fall;20(4):1103-32. PMID 18838033 | ||
2. Koshino H et. al. '''Functional connectivity in an fMRI working memory task in high-functioning autism.'''Neuroimage. 2005 Feb 1;24(3):810-21. PMID 15652316 | 2. Koshino H et. al. '''Functional connectivity in an fMRI working memory task in high-functioning autism.'''Neuroimage. 2005 Feb 1;24(3):810-21. PMID 15652316 | ||
Revision as of 14:44, 20 September 2010
Contents
Working Memory
Working memory refers to an individual's ability to retain information in memory for a short period of time for a specific goal. It is thought of as a component of Executive Attention.There are many types of Working Memory (e.g. object, spatial, etc). One popular task for measuring spatial working memory is the Oculomotor Delayed Response task(ODR). The ODR task is a memroy-guided saccade task.1
Working Memory and ASD
Working memory appears to be abnormal in those with ASD through studies which have used working memory tasks in ASD populations and the general population. ODR studies involving high-functioning autistic participants suggest that the ASD groups have reduced accuracy in memory guided saccades. Deficits are present in both adults with ASD and adolescents with ASD, but there appears to be improvement in performance from childhood to adolescence.1 One study found most of the circuitry involved in Working Memory intact in those with autism, including the insula, intraparietal sulcus, basal ganglia, thalamus, supramarginal gyrus, FEF, SEF, presupplementary motor area, ACC, precuneus, and cerebellum. The authors suggested that there may be a specific impairment involving the connectivity of prefrontal cortex with the posterior cortex. 2 There have also been evidence that working memory is not significantly different in those with ASD. The discrepancies may indicate compensatory mechanisms employed by participants to improve performance.1
Tests which assess Working Memory
Citations
1. O'Hearn K et. al. Neurodevelopment and executive function in autism.Dev Psychopathol. 2008 Fall;20(4):1103-32. PMID 18838033
2. Koshino H et. al. Functional connectivity in an fMRI working memory task in high-functioning autism.Neuroimage. 2005 Feb 1;24(3):810-21. PMID 15652316
