Research reveals that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder may exhibit minor but measurable differences in attention, processing speed, and memory, suggesting inherited traits linked to autism.
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder may show subtle differences in attention, processing speed and memory, according to a new study published in Autism Research. The findings add to a long-running line of research suggesting that some cognitive traits linked to autism can appear, in milder form, among first-degree relatives, especially parents.
In the cross-sectional study, researchers assessed 124 parents of children aged two to 12 years and compared the neurocognitive performance of those raising a child with ASD with that of parents of neurotypical children. They used the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, a standard computer-based set of tests, to measure reaction time, spatial working memory and visual episodic memory.
Parents in the ASD group performed less well on reaction time tasks, which assess attention and psychomotor speed, and on paired associates learning tasks, which measure visual memory. Results for spatial working memory were mixed, with differences appearing across individual subtests rather than as a single uniform pattern. In the study’s logistic regression analysis, one five-choice reaction time measure was the only significant predictor of whether someone was a parent of a child with autism. The children’s autism severity did not appear to be linked to parental test performance.
The authors said the pattern supports the idea of candidate cognitive endophenotypes – inherited traits that may not cause disability on their own but may reflect underlying genetic liability for autism. That view fits earlier research. A review on the broader autism phenotype found that parents of autistic children often show more difficulty with pragmatic language, interpersonal relationships and rigidity, while a separate review of brain imaging studies reported structural and functional differences in parents even when they were not behaviourally impaired. Family studies have also found that many quantitative autism-related traits are heritable, including broader autism phenotype traits and executive functioning.
Taken together, the new findings suggest that attention and memory differences in some parents may be part of the wider familial profile of autism. The authors say that recognising these patterns could help family-based early intervention work and support future neuroimaging research aimed at identifying how autism-related traits are passed through families.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
