I submitted an Abstract
The role of the autistic in research
I think rather than talking about one autistic or neurotypical being the leader, which seems to imply a position of dominance by one group, we should be thinking more in terms of what Judy Heumann used to term as Collaboration Cooperation. Both disabled researchers and non disabled researchers need to work together for meaningful change. And most research is a team effort anyway. What the non disabled researchers bring to the table is a lot of experience in how to go about research and they’ve had a couple of centuries of head start in this. When you combine this with collaboration and leadership of autistic researchers you get the following added benefits.
- Autistic insights through a nuanced understanding of autistic experiences that cannot be fully captured by observation or second-hand accounts.
- Innovative approaches through distinct cognitive and perceptual experiences. This can lead to innovative research methods and findings that might be overlooked by non-autistic researchers.
- Increased relevance and application towards practical and relevant issues.
- Empowerment and representation as autistics in leadership, challenges traditional narratives of them only being research subjects.
- Reducing bias in data interpretation from a neurotypical lens.
- Building trust among autistic participants that this research is likely to be ethical and beneficial.
- Policy and practice impact as autistic researchers are more likely to advocate for changes that directly improve the lives of autistics. Their leadership in research can influence policy, educational practices, and therapeutic approaches in ways that are more aligned with the needs of the autistic community.
Your body position influences your emotional state
A study by Peper and Lin (2012) explored how body posture affects energy levels and the ability to generate positive and negative thoughts. They found that an upright posture can promote a more positive mood and energy levels, while a slumped posture can lead to increased feelings of depression.
https://www.newsweek.com/dual-approach-autism-opinion-1818062
https://www.newsweek.com/dual-approach-autism-opinion-1818062
Time
https://www.newsweek.com/dual-approach-autism-opinion-1818062
In the thick
College Autism Summit
Dispel notion that any medical intervention is inherently harmful
Consciousness
Nature of Consciousness and Quantum Physics. Both Sanathana Dharma and Buddhism assert that consciousness isn't a byproduct but a fundamental aspect of reality. This perspective aligns, to some extent, with certain interpretations of quantum mechanics, which propose that consciousness plays a role in the process of quantum measurement or wave function collapse.
Meditation, Mindfulness, and Neuroscience: Neuroscientific research into the effects of meditation—a practice central to both Sanathana Dharma and Buddhist traditions—has shown that it can induce significant changes in areas of the brain associated with attention, emotion regulation, and self-awareness.
Levels and States of Consciousness: The Mandukya Upanishad, outlines different states of consciousness, including waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and a transcendent state known as "Turiya." Modern neuroscience also explores various states of consciousness, such as REM sleep, deep sleep, and altered states induced by substances or meditation. Buddhist meditation practices often aim to transcend ordinary states of consciousness and attain enlightened states. Neuroscientific studies on accomplished meditators have reported unique brainwave patterns and states of consciousness.
Interconnectedness: Both Sanathana Dharma and Buddhist philosophies emphasize the interconnectedness of all things. This idea has resonances with holistic perspectives in science, especially in fields like ecology and certain interpretations of quantum physics which emphasize non-locality and entanglement.
Plasticity and Transformation: Both Sanathana Dharma and Buddhist traditions emphasize the possibility of transforming one's mind and consciousness. The idea of neuroplasticity in modern neuroscience—that the brain is malleable and can be changed through experiences, especially practices like meditation—aligns with this.
Phenomenal Experience: Buddhism, particularly in schools like Yogacara, delves deep into the nature of experience, cognition, and perception. These explorations find parallels in cognitive science and phenomenological approaches in modern philosophy of mind.
https://www.newsweek.com/dual-approach-autism-opinion-1818062
The Decerebrate Cat Walking Experiment
In the realm of scientific exploration, certain experiments push boundariesin ways not acceptable by modern ethical standards. One such experiment involves decerebrate cats (popular in the 1940-50s and not done anymore), but which shed light on locomotion,
The Decerebrate Cat Walking Experiment: The video showcases a decerebrate cat walking on a treadmill at varying speeds, revealing three distinct gait patterns. Decerebrate cats have had their cerebral cortex removed, leaving the brainstem intact. Essentially the cat was paralyzed as its spinal cord didn't talk to its brain anymore which means there was not enough muscle tone to keep the body upright; so researched used a harness to hold the weight of the body.
Locomotion was initiated by sensory input of the limbs on the moving thredmill.
The primary goal of these experiments was to explore the extent of the brain's involvement in controlling movement. At what level in the brain is behavior (locomotion) controlled. Researchers aimed to test the idea that much of locomotion control might be inherent to an animal's biomechanics, rather than relying heavily on conscious brain commands.
Findings:
- Minimal Brain Control: during locomotion, especially in activities like walking, trotting, or running, minimal control comes from the brain itself. Instead, the experiments suggest that a significant portion of locomotion control is achieved through biomechanical and morphological features of the animal's body.
- Biomechanical Design: The experiments support the concept of passive dynamic locomotion, which proposes that animals are capable of controlling their movements efficiently by taking advantage of their natural biomechanical structure.
Diagnostic Overshadowing Issue in Autism