Recent research published in The Gerontologist indicates that older individuals exhibiting autistic traits do not experience increased cognitive decline in spatial working memory compared to neurotypical peers. This study, conducted by researchers from University College London (UCL), sheds light on an important area of cognitive health as it relates to aging and autism.

Understanding Spatial Working Memory

Spatial working memory is a critical cognitive function enabling individuals to remember and manipulate information about the spatial arrangement of objects and locations. Commonly employed during navigation or organization tasks, impairments in this cognitive area typically manifest as age progresses, potentially leading to significant challenges in day-to-day life. This decline is often associated with normal aging but can also be pronounced in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Key Findings from the Study

The study drew upon data from the PROTECT study, analyzing responses from 10,060 participants over the age of 50 in the UK. Researchers discovered that approximately 1.5% of participants exhibited high levels of autistic traits, a statistic aligned with the general autism prevalence in the population.

Through a detailed analysis utilizing growth mixture modeling, the researchers assessed participants' spatial working memory over a seven-year period. The primary findings can be summarized as follows:

Parameter Participants with High Autistic Traits Neurotypical Participants
Percentage maintaining cognitive ability Not significantly different Not significantly different
Rate of cognitive decline No increased rate No increased rate

These findings indicate that individuals with high levels of autistic traits are not predisposed to greater age-related cognitive decline in spatial working memory, suggesting that their cognitive health trajectory is similar to that of their neurotypical counterparts.

Implications of the Findings

“Our findings provide reassurance that autistic individuals do not inherently face heightened risks of age-related cognitive decline compared to their neurotypical peers,” – Professor Joshua Stott, Lead Researcher, UCL Psychology & Language Sciences.

Professor Stott emphasizes the relevance of these results in the context of growing concerns regarding aging, autism, and cognitive decline. The research provides a counter-narrative to earlier studies that suggested a potentially higher rate of dementia among older autistic adults, primarily derived from analyses of healthcare records that did not accurately represent the broader autistic population.

Limitations and Future Research

Despite the promising results, the study presents certain limitations:

  • The participant sample predominantly consisted of individuals familiar with computers and the internet, potentially biasing the findings towards a more digitally savvy demographic.
  • The assessment of autistic traits concentrated mainly on social communication and repetitive behaviors, which may overlook other significant behaviors associated with autism.
  • There was a lack of ethnic diversity, as most participants were white, possibly limiting the generalizability of the findings to other racial and ethnic groups.

Further studies with a more diverse and expansive sample are essential for drawing more definitive conclusions. Future investigations should focus on longer observation periods and the inclusion of individuals who meet formal diagnostic criteria for autism.

Conclusion

This groundbreaking research not only contributes to the existing literature on aging and autism but also serves to alleviate concerns within the autistic community regarding cognitive decline. As understanding increases, it will be crucial to build a holistic approach that considers the unique patterns of aging experienced by individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions.

For more information, you can access the full study: Autism not linked with increased age-related cognitive decline, finds study.

References

[1] Ghai, S. et al. (2025). The Association between Autism Spectrum Traits and Age-Related Spatial Working Memory Decline: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Study. The Gerontologist.

[2] Medical Xpress. (2025, April 24). Retrieved from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-autism-linked-age-cognitive-decline.html

The findings of this study emphasize the need for targeted aging research in diverse populations to better understand cognitive health outcomes across different groups.