Prefrontal hemodynamic activity and prospective memory failures in caregivers of autistic children: a NIRS study

Caring for an autistic child has been linked with poorer prospective memory (PM). However, potential underlying cerebrovascular mechanisms have not been examined. Here we explore whether variations in prefrontal hemodynamic activity, assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), might underlie caregiver related differences in PM failures. A total of 37 participants, of which 19 were caregivers of autistic children and 18 were parents of non-autistic children, completed an objective PM task in the lab. Cerebrovascular activity, measured via oxygenated (Oxy-Hb), deoxygenated (Deoxy-Hb), and total (Total-Hb) haemoglobin, was assessed at baseline and during the PM task. Relative change from baseline was calculated for all indices. Caregivers performed poorer on the PM task, recalling fewer items. However, groups could not be differentiated on cerebrovascular activity. Moreover, cerebrovascular change did not predict PM failures, ruling out mediation effects. Caring for an autistic child was associated with poorer PM. However, caregivers’ poorer PM was not mediated by reduced prefrontal hemodynamic response. Whether caregivers’ PM failures might detrimentally affect quality of provided care should be explored. However, findings reported here should be deemed preliminary, and conclusions from these findings tempered, until consolidated with adequate statistical power.