Vestibular, Proprioception in Autism
EMPATHY
Empathy doesn't just change the world, it changes us.
Empathy is the antidote to judgment.
Empathy is the fuel that powers kindness.
Empathy creates the space for true connection to happen.
Empathy is the ability to hear the unspoken and see the unseen.
Empathy is a muscle that grows stronger with use.
Empathy is not a feeling, it's a choice to listen with an open heart.
Empathy is not just a trait, it's a way of life.
Empathy is the foundation of all meaningful relationships.
Empathy is the art of putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
Empathy is a powerful tool that allows us to connect with others on a deeper level.
Empathy is the magic that turns strangers into friends.
Empathy is the ability to understand without judgment.
Empathy is the bridge that closes the gap between us and them.
Empathy is the light that shines in the darkness of misunderstanding.
Empathy is the heart's way of saying, 'I see you, I hear you, and I feel you'.
Empathy is the key to unlocking the door to compassion.
Empathy is the lens through which we see the world with a different perspective.
Empathy is the art of caring for someone else's feelings as if they were your own.
Empathy is the oxygen that breathes life into relationships.
Empathy is the secret ingredient that makes kindness so powerful.
Empathy is the currency of connection.
Empathy is the glue that holds us together in times of difficulty.
Empathy is not just a feeling, it's an action that can change lives.
Empathy is the foundation of true understanding and acceptance.
Empathy is the art of listening with your heart.
Empathy is the superpower that allows us to connect with people from all walks of life.
Empathy is the gift of truly seeing and being seen by others.
Empathy is the art of seeing with the heart and feeling with the soul.
Propananol
Propanaol has come up in lectures in my Cell Neuroscience course this sem. Of personal interest to me, as its use has become prevalent in the autism population. My last set of docs at Stanford said they preferred its use as it has less side effects compared to other drugs. I have mixed feelings about it effectiveness in my case but I've heard its helping a number of other autistics.
The use of Propranolol (brand names - Inderal, Hemangeol, & InnoPran XL) in autism is actually off-label as some research has suggested that propranolol may be helpful with anxiety, social withdrawal and repetitive behaviors. More research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness in autism.
One concerning side effect is memory impairment. So I have to wonder about its long term impact as we age, as many autistics are on it for many years and years. Are we looking at short term gains and compromising our long term health compounding health issues that already accompany old age.
ASA Press Release
I get quoted in this press release.
The Autism Society of America is taking direct action at a national level on multiple priority issues that impact Autistic individuals. In particular, the organization is highlighting the importance of passing legislation that provides additional funding for home and community-based services (HCBS) and addressing employment disparities. This includes the Better Care Better Jobs Act and the HCBS Access Act.
“The current system of supports and services are set up such that there can be a sudden stop in services for the most absurd of reasons. Such policies need to change,” states Hari Srinivasan, an Autistic student at Vanderbilt, and member of the Autism Society’s Council of Autistic Advisors. “I find myself in this strange situation where the PhD stipend makes me ineligible for SSI, which in turn is linked to all state-funded disability supports and disability health insurance that I have relied on all my life. My significant Autism challenges and required supports, did not magically go away in graduate school. It is like a financial penalty on the disabled person to want to aspire for higher education and the pursuit of the American Dream.”
Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates
Benzodiazepines
In class today, we studied pharmacology of GABA-A receptors, specifically Benzodiazepine's. Of personal interest as I've been on lorazepam (fast acting for agitation, mood swings) and clonazepam (longer lasting). Unfortunately the body develops a tolerance and these don't work anymore.
Nashville next stop in Senseless School Shootings
This time a young white 28 year old female ex-student, walked into an elementary school with assault weapons and just shot 6 people, 3 staff and 3 kids aged 8-9. What a horrible tragedy.
Why is the US the ONLY country in the world where young kids are getting shot in their own schools every few months? That too with assault weapons.
This does not make sense. I wonder at the need to even own assault weapons when you live in a city. A gun makes remote sense maybe if you were living in the midst of the woods with a grizzly bear or packs or wolves on the loose.
Just last week our professor had mentioned how suicide rates dramatically increased amongst women who's partner/boyfriend owned a gun. Why is there such an obsessive need to hand out guns to just about anyone so easily in this country.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, located just 4 miles from the school was where all the children were sent - already dead on arrival. How does a hospital emotionally prep for "emergencies" like this?
Brain Blast
Every spring, the Vanderbilt Brain Institute puts on Brain Blast event at Nashville Public Library for high schoolers and younger children, with various booths educating children on the wonders of the brain in fun and creative ways. Oh and the screen in the background was showing various images, including some things about autism and neurodiversity.
Slow Burn
Larkin: "I thought I could read my way to Stanford."
Sutherland: "...you went to Stanford?"
Larkin: "No. Those bastards rejected me. I went to a community college then transferred to Berkeley. When I started my company I hired a bunch of Stanford grads to grab me coffee."
CRH-PVN Neuron and Stress Controllability Presentation
Presenting with passion, nerves not intact,
Paper on CRH-PVN neurons stacked.
The audience watched, with eyes on me,
My words and slides, a neuroscience spree
Wind Advisory, Thunderstorm and Tornado Watch
Wind Advisory and Tornado Watch. Tornado missed us but crazy thunderstorm at night, pounding rain and blinding flashes of lightning.
Thunderstorm brewing, lightning strikingThe weather is absurd
This time last year
This time last year, I was holding up the Tower of Pisa. LOL.
Italian Vacation during spring break
Do you know that PhD students don't get spring break like the undergrads. We sure could use that break for sure. Its been a crazy semester.
I was holding up the Tower of Pisa
With a tilt and a twist, like Galileo's wrist
Galileo throwing objects from the top
Law of falling bodies nonstop.
Hyperpolarized Neurons on Strike
Off on unplanned mental vacation.
Action potential needed anon.
1:36 is the new ratio
- (But of course). Autism is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. [Read article]
- About 1:6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a Dev Disability (autism, AHHD, blindness & CP) [Read summary]
- ASD is more than 4 times more common among boys than among girls. [Read article]
The new ratio simply can't be just due to increased dx capabilities or awareness or more adults being dx. What else is going on? We need to be investigating this.
Requesting Accommodations
Neurexins and Autism
A few reasons why neurexin genes might be associated with autism.
- disrupt in function of synapses (& communication between neurons), which could contribute to the autistic social and communication challenges
- disruption in brain development as neurexin genes expressed early in brain development, and play important roles in the formation of neural circuits.
- impact on function of other genes as they interact with a number of other proteins.
Severe Weather Nashville - Winter Edition
March Snowfall, a Climate Change Call
Bits of fluff dance and sway
Cherry blossoms on a spring day
I watch from my window, in awe of this display.
Days should be bright and long
Unexpected snowfall, sign of larger exchange?
CRH who?
Stress v Anxiety in Autism - what's the difference.
Stress is when you're stuck in traffic and late for an important meeting, while anxiety is when you're stuck in traffic and your brain starts to imagine all the worst-case scenarios that could happen at the meeting. They both make you feel like you're about to lose your mind, but with anxiety, you have to deal with the added bonus of your own overactive imagination!
Before you speak, ask yourself
Remembering Judy @DREDF
Last year, I had been invited to join the DREDF board, my response to joining was a resounding YES.
At the first board meeting on Aug 12,2022, it was the late Judy Heumann who nominated me to the board and the motion was seconded by Christina Mills. The board voted unanimously to have me join the board.
Thinking of you Judy, as we head into the next board meeting without you today. You were there at start of DREDF to make it a reality and later on its board, and we will miss your presence.
Testing Neural Knowledge
The Three T's
"You start out by you telling them what you're going to tell them, then tell them, and then you tell them what you told them," was her starting advice.
She was referring to the Three T's approach - Tell Them, Tell Them, Tell Them - a strategy for organizing a speech or presentation into three parts:
- introduction where you preview what you will discuss
- the body of content /message
- Conclusion where you summarize what you covered.
The politics of studying the brain
I learned a little bit about the politics of research during a conversation with a professor, for instance researching the dopaminergic system belongs to people studying strictly study movement disorders.
Which is a real pity really. I have wondered why that is not looked at in the context of autism. Its like the two are never considered together for autism. But disabilities like autism have so many areas involved. Like challenges in movement, is such a critical piece for autistics like me, and worth investigating. How else will we get to solutions.
Autistic Cre v Autism Mouse Models
Autistic Cre mice are genetically modified mice that express mutations or deletions of specific genes that have been associated with human autism. These mice are created by introducing a Cre recombinase gene under the control of a promoter specific to the gene of interest. The Cre recombinase then catalyzes the recombination of loxP sites, leading to the deletion or mutation of the targeted gene.
On the other hand, autism mouse models are created through a variety of methods, including genetic manipulation, exposure to environmental toxins, or maternal infection during pregnancy. These models aim to replicate some of the behavioral and neurobiological features of autism in humans, such as impaired social interaction and communication, repetitive behaviors, and altered brain development and function.
One of the main differences between the two is the level of specificity in targeting autism-related genes. Autistic Cre mice allow researchers to study the effects of specific gene mutations or deletions on behavior and brain function, whereas autism mouse models often involve a broader range of genetic or environmental factors that may contribute to the development of autism.
Additionally, autistic Cre mice are often used to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying autism, such as changes in synaptic function or neurotransmitter signaling, whereas autism mouse models may focus more on behavioral and phenotypic characteristics of the disorder.
Autistic Cre
(Understanding Cre rats for my upcoming presentation, and why not learn which ones are used in autism space while I am at it)
First, what is a Cre-rat?
In limbo
Mind and body trapped in ambivalence's sensation.
Can't move forward, can't step back,
Caught in a loop of indecision, what do I lack?
Fruit Fly Connectome
Lay Summary: Scientists have now mapped all the neural connections/pathways of a fruit fly (connectome). Why is this important? Fruit fly model is used in autism research, so this advance potentially helps autism research.
ITAKOM
Some nice comments about my talk "Redefine The Table" at the @ITAKOM conference
Principles of Neural Science
This time last year, I had met with Prof Carissa Cascio during my Vanderbilt campus visit, and she had shown her copy of the Kendal textbook that awaited me in the program. Well certainly got to experience this textbook first hand this semester.
OCD
Compelled to do what can't be found
Repetitive acts, a daily grind
OCD consumes, hard to unwind.
Powerful urge, the need is great
To ease the mind, to alleviate
Thoughts plague, won't go away
OCD controls, no matter what I say
Constant struggle, day by day
To keep those obsessive compulsive behaviors at bay
Can’t give in
….Must break the spin
POM 101
I completed the Protection of Minors Training this morning.
Why is this important - while a majority of students are not-minors, universities do cross path with thousands of children each year with all the programs they run., ~50K kids/year at Vandy, per the training.
Apparently 1:10 kids get abused (median age 9) but only 38% disclose and 90% perpetrators are known to the child. Types of abuse include physical, sexual, neglect and emotional.
When it comes to abuse, most just focus on the physical or sexual parts. I want to address childhood "abuse" in the context of disabled kids who are also subject to endless rounds of emotional abuse and neglect all through childhood. It's terribly unreported, not even acknowledged, and we carry lifelong emotional scars well into adulthood.
Here is a small example: Throughout my special education years in elementary I was moved around multiple classrooms, sometimes are many as 4 in the course of one school year. How is that not emotional abuse by teachers who openly did not want me in their classrooms and resentful of my presence. How does that make a small child feel. How it is that the very people we are supposed to trust to nurture and support us (the 98% of folks we are surrounded by), end up as the perpetuators of lifelong emotional trauma for us.
Stepping Stones to Bliss
Any adversity is a stepping-stone to eternal bliss.
- Sri Satya Sai Baba
A Highly Sensitive Person
Bayes Squad
The Bayes Squad
A Probability Party with Formula Fellows
Bayes Theorem BT: Alright folks, let's get this Bayesian statistics party started! I'm Bayes Theorem, and I'm the king of the castle around here.
Prior Probability PA(A): Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down there, Bayes. You may be the main formula, but I'm the one who sets the foundation. I'm Prior Probability, and I establish the probability of events before any data is collected.
Likelihood P(A): And I'm Likelihood, the star of the show. I calculate the probability of evidence given the hypothesis.
Buch et al, 2023 Autism Subgroups
- The identification of three autism subgroups based on genetic and brain connectivity differences.
- 1. increased expression of genes involved in immune system function and synaptic signaling, as well as increased connectivity between the default mode network and the visual network.
- 2. decreased expression of genes involved in synaptic signaling and increased connectivity between the default mode network and the somatomotor network.
- 3. increased expression of genes involved in mitochondrial function and decreased connectivity between the DMN and the somatomotor network.
- The suggestion that key genes associated with each subgroup may lead to distinct autism-related behavioral phenotypes via interactions with atypical functional brain connectivity patterns.
- Distinct biological subtypes of autism may require different treatment approaches.
Methods
combo of network-based analysis and text mining to identify hub genes associated with each subgroup and to analyze the frequency of certain keywords in abstracts related to these genes. The goal was to understand how these genes and their associated behavioral phenotypes may be related to atypical brain connectivity patterns in each subgroup.- Small sample size
- data from post-mortem brain tissue, which may not fully capture the living brain complexity.
- Focus only on genetic and brain connectivity differences, not look at other factors. Also not look at environmental factors.
- No controls (ie: are these subgroups present in non-autistic controls)
- Sex differences not looked at.
- How to use subgroups to develop more personalized treatments for each subgroup
- How can these findings be used to inform not just childhood dx but also how to help the growing number of adult autistics.
- Are there other factors beyond genetics and brain connectivity that may contribute to the development of these subgroups?
- What are the ethical implications of using genetic and brain connectivity data to identify subgroups.
Leader of Disability Movement: UC Berkeley alumnus Judy Heumann dies at 75
The Daily Californian on Judy Heumann
Neurotransmitters go Knock Knock
GABA. GABA who? GABA nice day today, isn't it?
Dopamine. Dopamine who? Do-pa-mine if I tell you a joke?
Serotonin. Serotonin who? Serotoninly you didn't forget about me!
Judy, My Friend: A Tribute to an Unparalleled Disability Rights Legend
Judy, My Friend: A Tribute to a Disability Rights Legend
Judy my friend, I miss you dearly
But your legacy lives on, ever so clearly
As a trailblazer, a hero, a friend
Your spirit will never, ever end