title: Overactive Pattern Separation Memory Associated with Negative Emotionality in Adults Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: Bowler et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 44(9):2355-2362. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2105-y, 2014) have suggested that a specific memory impairment in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) arises from hippocampal failure to consolidate multiple related pieces of information. Twenty-four adults diagnosed with ASD and matched healthy controls completed a pattern separation memory task that is known to critically depend on hippocampal involvement. They additionally completed questionnaires regarding anxiety, depression, and behavioral motivation. Specific deficits in pattern separation were significantly correlated with negative emotionality; the best predictor of memory deficit was from a measure of achievement motivation that has also been associated with hyperactivity and impulsivity. In the context of impaired emotion regulation in ASD, there is a need for integrated cognitive, affective, and neural systems approaches to build targeted interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 245 TLRB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA. south@byu.edu.|Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA. south@byu.edu.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: South
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 245 TLRB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nielson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 245 TLRB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maisel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 245 TLRB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Top
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 245 TLRB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.|Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kirwan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Autism spectrum disorder; Emotion regulation; Hippocampus; Memory; Pattern separation