La présente revue de la littérature a pour objectif de préciser les particularités de la mémoire autobiographique dans les troubles du spectre autistique sans déficience intellectuelle (TSASDI) à l’âge adulte de façon à mieux comprendre les mécanismes cognitifs expliquant les troubles de l’identité ou self décrits chez ces personnes. Nos résultats sont ainsi discutés en référence au modèle théorique du Système Identité-Mémoire de Conway (2005) qui décrit les interactions réciproques entre la mémoire autobiographique et l’identité (ou self). Nous montrons que, dans les TSASDI, les connaissances autobiographiques sémantiques sont préservées alors que les souvenirs épisodiques sont altérés. De plus, les deux composantes du self (self conceptuel et self de travail) sont plus immuables et donc moins adaptables. Cette perspective de psychopathologie cognitive des troubles du self est discutée et mise en perspective avec les grandes théories cognitives de l’autisme.

Autism spectrum disorder combines deficits in socio-communication, restricted, repetitive patterns but also disorders of self and cognitive impairments. Among them, people with ASD have autobiographical memory deficits as shown by several recent studies. Autobiographical memory is a critical function supporting socialization but it represents also an important support for the self as illustrated by the model of Self Memory System put forward by Conway. This cognitive model describes the reciprocal relationships between autobiographical memory and self and then provides a relevant theoretical framework to explore disorders of self by examining autobiographical memory deficits.

To provide a review of autobiographical memory studies in adults with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual deficiency and to discuss the results in reference to Conway's model of self memory system.

The Medline database was analyzed up to February 2014, crossing the following items “autism, autistic, Asperger” and “episodic memories, autobiographical memory”.

Our results show that the semantic component of autobiographical memory is preserved, whereas episodic autobiographical memory is impaired in adults with ASD. These people generate fewer specific memories and less detailed memories of past events. Both episodic memory and future thinking are impaired, this reflecting an alteration of the sense of self, particularly a diminished temporally extended self-awareness. Moreover, memories relating to the self are also less specific and adults with ASD have more difficulty drawing meaning upon these events. Autobiographical memory deficits seem related to impaired Theory of Mind skills and executive dysfunction reported in this disorder.

From a cognitive psychopathological perspective, autobiographical memory deficits found in adults with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual deficiency may account for alterations of both components of self (the working self and the conceptual self) as defined in the self memory system. Our results are also discussed in reference to the main cognitive theories of autism.