Review

Mnesic imbalance: a cognitive theory about autism spectrum disorders

Miguel Ángel Romero-Munguía^1,2

¹  Hospital Psiquiátrico 'Dr. Samuel Ramírez Moreno', Autopista México-Puebla Km 5.5 Col. Santa Catarina, Del. Tláhuac, CP.13100, México City, México

²  División de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, México City, México

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Annals of General Psychiatry 2008, 7:20doi:10.1186/1744-859X-7-20

Published:	17 October 2008

Abstract

Autism is characterized by impairments in social interaction, communicative capacity and behavioral flexibility. Some cognitive theories can be useful for finding a relationship between these irregularities and the biological mechanisms that may give rise to this disorder. Among such theories are mentalizing deficit, weak central coherence and executive dysfunction, but none of them has been able to explain all three diagnostic symptoms of autism. These cognitive disorders may be related among themselves by faulty learning, since several research studies have shown that the brains of autistic individuals have abnormalities in the cerebellum, which plays a role in procedural learning. In keeping with this view, one may postulate the possibility that declarative memory replaces faulty procedural memory in some of its functions, which implies making conscious efforts in order to perform actions that are normally automatic. This may disturb cognitive development, resulting in autism symptoms. Furthermore, this mnesic imbalance is probably involved in all autism spectrum disorders. In the present work, this theory is expounded, including preliminary supporting evidence.