Increased discrimination of "false memories" in autism spectrum disorder

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impaired ability to us e context, which may manifest as alterations of relatedness within the sema ntic: network. However, impairment in context use may be more difficult to detect in high-functioning adults with ASD. To test context use in this pop ulation, we examined the influence of context on memory by using the "false memory" test. In the false memory task, lists of words were presented to h igh-functioning subjects with ASD and matched controls. Each list consists of words highly related to an index word not on the list. Subjects are then given a recognition test. Positive responses to the index words represent false memories. We found that individuals with ASD are able to discriminate false memory items from true items significantly better than are control s ubjects. Memory in patients with ASD may be more accurate than in normal in dividuals under certain conditions. These results also suggest that semanti c representations comprise a less distributed network in high-functioning a dults with ASD. Furthermore, these results may be related to the unusually high memory capacities found in some individuals with ASD. Research directe d at defining the range of tasks performed superiorly by high-functioning i ndividuals with ASD will be important for optimal vocational rehabilitation .