Mental Time Travel

The concept of mental time travel (MTT) refers to the ability of individuals to mentally project themselves backward in time to relive or remember past events, as well as forward in time to imagine or anticipate future events. It is a cognitive process that allows us to mentally simulate and navigate through temporal experiences beyond the present moment.

The MTT task is a neuroscience measure designed to assess an individual's capacity for mental time travel. It typically involves presenting participants with a series of event cues and asking them to generate specific events from their own personal past or future that are related to each cue. For example, participants may be shown cue words such as "graduation" or "vacation" and then asked to recall a specific past event or imagine a specific future event related to each cue.

In this task, the individual's present moment serves as a reference point from which they situate and retrieve personal versus general events. Personal events refer to specific episodic memories from the individual's own life, such as a birthday party or a family trip, while general events are more abstract and can be shared by multiple individuals, such as historical events or holidays.

The MTT task taps into several cognitive processes and neural mechanisms associated with mental time travel. It requires the retrieval of specific episodic memories or the construction of plausible future scenarios. The task engages memory processes, including recall and recognition, as well as imagination and prospective thinking.

Neuroimaging studies have shown that the neural substrates underlying MTT involve a network of brain regions.

• PFC:  cognitive control and executive function required for retrieving and manipulating temporal information. 
• Hippocampus and MTL: formation and retrieval of episodic memories

The MTT task has been used in research to investigate individual differences in the capacity for mental time travel and how it relates to various cognitive processes, such as autobiographical memory, imagination, planning, and self-projection. It has also been employed to examine the effects of aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders on mental time travel abilities.

If you know everything, you are not learning

 Something Professor Carissa Cascio shared with the lab today. So appropriate. 

Also accompanied by a message encouraging us to "be confident in asking questions and not worried about what they don't know. If you already know everything, you're not learning!"

Thank you for this assurance cuz my rather atypical educational path leaves me wondering (more often than not) if there are things I have missed out (through the typical NT education path,  NT social experiences/interactions/networking) which is now maybe impacting my knowledge and work. 

ASSERT ECHO @Vandy

I have been a participant in the Assert (All Stakeholders Engage in Research Together) project this semester, run by Prof Beth Malow's Sleep Lab.  https://www.vumc.org/sleep-in-autism/assert-resources

Its been a good experience, listening to everyone's perspective and being able to contribute, though I could not make last few sessions as it clashed with the new meetings at my new lab rotation.

The disability rights mantra has long centered around Nothing about us without us. And I am glad that to see this idea trickling down with respect to research which will (hopefully) lead us to solutions. And this effort is at happening at many places now - at universities and research centers. 

If you are an autistic, please do consider getting involved by emailing assert@vumc.org. It is important that our voices are heard. 

Nothing about us, without us.

The phrase "Nothing about us without us" (NAUWU) gained prominence in the 1980s as disability rights movement began to gain momentum and assert the rights of disabled individuals. It resonated with the broader social justice movements that advocated for marginalized communities to have control over their own destinies and be actively involved in decision-making processes.

NAUWU represents a powerful demand for inclusivity, equal participation, and the recognition of disabled individuals as the experts of their own lives. It encapsulates the ongoing struggle for disability rights and the importance of centering the voices and experiences of disabled people in all matters that concern them.

NAUWU  is grounded in the principle of self-advocacy and the belief that the disabled should have a voice and agency in shaping policies, laws, and programs that directly impact them. It emphasizes the importance of including the perspectives and experiences of disabled individuals in all aspects of disability-related discussions, rather than making decisions on their behalf without their input or representation.

Origins of the phrase NAUWU: 

My friend and fellow autistic Rebecca Eli-Long states "I've been told that it entered US disability rights spaces via South African activists. At least that's what's reported in James Charlton's book, Nothing About Us Without US"

While it is challenging to attribute the phrase to a specific individual, it has been embraced and popularized by disability rights activists, organizations, and scholars worldwide. 

The slogan has become a rallying cry for disability rights advocates, reinforcing the core principle of empowerment, self-determination, and the right to be heard and respected.

One notable event associated with the early use of the phrase is the International Year of Disabled Persons, which was proclaimed by the United Nations in 1981. This declaration helped to bring global attention to disability rights and led to increased advocacy efforts by disabled individuals and organizations.

Context of Autism Research 

Recent years have seen some movement in discussion groups led by university and private research labs to hear inputs from all stakeholders, which includes autistics, family members, professionals (therapists, medical professionals, caretakers etc), with a long term view that such participatory research will lead to meaningful research and meaningful solutions. 

The good part is that finally there is some acknowledgement of the principle of NAUWU. 

Good beginning, but only the beginning. Let's not celebrate just yet. There are still miles to go. 

Why? Because the idea of "Nothing About Us Without Us" is 40 years old (in the 1980s) and it has taken all the way till the 2020's to see movement towards even acknowledging our voices.

Is it going to take another 40 years to see the next step of our voices translating into research and actual translatable solutions on the ground (instead of sitting as academic theory).

And will those solutions address everyone's needs or continue to focus on a narrow band of autistics, which means the rest of us continue to slip through those cracks and get left behind. 

What is the timeline? Is it even going to happen in my life time? 

 

Honestly in the the 2.5 decades I've been around, I have not seen much in terms of translatable autism solutions. We are still being peddled therapies and theories that work for a narrow band, but applied to all.

After all, there is a  ton of profits, fame and power for select groups in the autism space, so there is competition to becoming the loudest voice and the sole authoritative voice in the autism space, even if it means demeaning others. 

The irony being no one is an autism expert, as no one knows still enough about autism to be an expert. 

There is the occasional token nod to NAUWU to brush that argument out of the way. 

The result is not just the lack of solutions but continued exclusion and a poor quality of life and access to opportunities for the remaining autistics. To the add to the confusion, the autism community seems to be divided into  polarized camps and folks like me who desperately need translatable solutions are not getting them. 

Finding the actual cause

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/06/01/schizophrenia-autoimmune-lupus-psychiatry/

YES. I believe there are parallels for autism. There is probably some other physiological stuff going on that is causing all the SIB, meltdown and even struggles with talking ability which fluctuate on a day to day basis - all stuff which what makes or breaks your inclusion in society and gatekeeps opportunities. I bet after a few decades when I am a very old man, i will find out that what I had was some INFLAMMATORY PROCESS that and treatable as a baby itself and I could have had a better quality of life instead of struggles, exclusion and rejections at every step. 

New research suggests that a subset of patients with psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia may actually have autoimmune disease that attacks the brain

Markx and his colleagues discovered that although April’s illness was clinically indistinguishable from schizophrenia, she also had lupus, an underlying and treatable autoimmune condition that was attacking her brain.

... a complex autoimmune disorder where the immune system turns on its own body, producing many antibodies that attack the skin, joints, kidneys or other organs. But April’s symptoms weren’t typical, and there were no obvious external signs of the disease; the lupus appeared to only be affecting her brain.

After months of targeted treatments — and more than two decades trapped in her mind — April woke up.

ERGO: underlying autoimmune and inflammatory processes may be more common in patients with a variety of psychiatric syndromes than previously believed.

undergone many courses of treatment — antipsychotics, mood stabilizers and electroconvulsive therapy — all to no avail.

Discussion on Epilepsy in Autism

 

https://brainfoundation.org/empowering-voices-epilepsy-in-autism/

on 6/2/23. 

Registration https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Y_T4XhL8SqazIsqfkg4AjA#/registration

Grandma at Vandy

Saroja Paati (Grandma) visiting from India

and a visit to Vandy

A proud and beaming grandma at the Frist Center and outside my office space at the LASR Research Lab.

 

Depersonalization and Autism

[a poem written many years back that captures the essence of Depersonlization]

What is  Depersonalization Disorder (DPD)

• Loss of body ownership /disembodiment feelings / somatosensory distortions/ loss of agency: distressing feelings of being 'spaced out', detached from one's self, body, and the world (observing yourself from a distance).
• atypical 'flat' time perception (alterations in perception, including disruptions in the perception of time. )

Research findings on DPD and atypical time perception in the NT population

• Distorted perception of time: Tendency to overestimate the duration of time intervals, perceiving time as slower than it actually is which can contribute to the overall sense of detachment (1,2)
• Neural correlates of time perception: fMRI studies show differences in brain activity and connectivity patterns in regions associated with time processing, eg: PFC and parietal cortex (3,4)
• Role of attentional processes: Difficulties in allocating attention appropriately, leading to a reduced ability to accurately perceive and process temporal information (5,6)
• Emotional factors: Emotional states, eg anxiety and stress, can modulate time perception, leading to temporal distortions. DP folks often experience heightened levels of anxiety and emotional distress, which may contribute to their altered perception of time. (1,2)

Caveat: This is a complex phenomena and further research is needed to fully understand underlying mechanisms.

Reasons why DPD may co-occur with autism

• Both involve atypical sensory processing suggesting a potential shared underlying connection. 
• Overlap in Symptoms: Though there are distinct dx criteria, both share some overlapping symptoms, such as a sense of detachment from oneself, difficulties with emotional regulation, and social challenges. 
• Neurobiological Factors: Though the specific mechanisms and neural circuits may differ, both potentially involve alterations in brain functioning and connectivity.
• Impact on Functioning: Co-occurrence may exacerbate the challenges in everyday functioning especially in areas of social interactions and emotional well-being.

Research Findings in Autism and Implications

• 17% autistics met the diagnostic criteria for DPD, compared to 2% non-autistic (7)
• Compared to controls, autism+DPD more likely to have
• higher anxiety and depression (8)
• more difficulty with social interaction and communication (9)
• more repetitive behaviors and special interests (10)

Caveat: Research is all over the place when it comes to autism, so nothing is set in stone.

 

Suicide Mortality in Autistics

 

No surprise, a Taiwan study found higher rates of suicide in autistics vs non-autistics. #MentalHealth

"autistic individuals had increased risks of all-cause mortality, natural-cause mortality, and suicide mortality compared with non-autistic individuals. Furthermore, autistic males were more likely to die by suicide, and autistic females were more likely to die of accident compared with the non-autistic individuals."

Trait Anxiety vs State Anxiety

Trait anxiety represents a person's general predisposition to experience anxiety, while state anxiety refers to the temporary and situational experience of anxiety in response to specific events or circumstances.

Personal Space v PPS

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

Personal Space v PPS

Personal space refers is a social construct - refers to the physical or psychological distance individuals prefer to maintain between themselves and others. It is the immediate area surrounding a person that they consider as their own.

Peri-personal space is a neuroscience construct to describe the area immediately surrounding the body that is within reach of the individual. It encompasses the space where individuals feel they can manipulate/reach using their limbs / body parts. 

Past research has indicated autistics as  having a very constrained PPS. 

Tse et al 2023 - Executive functioning, self-regulation, and physical exercise

 

This study investigated the impact of two types of physical exercise - cognitively engaging versus non-cognitively engaging,  on self regulation in autistic children. The study found that both types of exercise significantly enhanced self-regulation, with the learning to ride a bicycle group showing significant improvements in executive functioning as well. The study also showed that the social, emotional, and physical needs of an individual mediated the exercise-executive function and exercise-self-regulation relationships. 

The findings suggest that cognitively engaging exercise may be more beneficial than non-cognitively engaging exercise in enhancing cognition in autistic children.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13623613231168944

Rihar et al 2023

This research article discusses the use of gene burden analysis to identify potentially pathogenic variants for autism. The study used whole exome sequencing data of Slovenian autistics and conducted gene burden analysis using the Testing Rare Variants with Public Data (TRAPD) software. The study identified two variants, p.Glu198Lys and p.Arg253Gln, associated with autism. The study also performed protein structure and ligand binding analysis to determine the potential pathogenic consequence of observed mutations. The results suggest that gene-burden analysis is a useful tool for identifying novel pathogenic variants in groups of autistics.

MBNCA Connectome Dataset

 

Researchers at the University of Melbourne have created a dataset that maps connectivity in 40,000 brains. The dataset, called the Melbourne Brain Network Connectivity Atlas (MBNCA) includes data on the structure and function of the brain, as well as information on the participants' demographics and health. The data in the MBNCA dataset comes from a variety of sources, including brain scans, genetic data, and behavioral data.

The MBNCA includes data from over 1,000 autistic individuals; making it one of the largest datasets of its kind. The MBNCA is freely available to researchers and may be a good resource to to study autistic brains to identify potential biomarkers and gain other insights.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.10.532036v1

Interaural differences

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

Interaural differences refer to the differences between the sound signals that reach each ear. These differences are caused by the time delay and the amplitude difference of the sound waves that reach each ear.

• ITD (interaural time difference): time delay between the arrival of sound at each ear. ITD is greatest for sounds coming from the side of the head and is zero for sounds coming from directly in front or behind the listener.
• ILD (interaural level difference): amplitude difference between the sound waves arriving at each ear. ILD is greatest for sounds coming from directly to one side of the listener and is zero for sounds coming from directly in front or behind the listener.

The brain processes these interaural differences to determine the location of the sound source and create a spatial auditory image, which helps us to perceive the world around us in three dimensions.

Some studies have reported differences in how autistics process interaural differences, including reduced ability to integrate auditory and visual information, as well as altered auditory and multisensory temporal processing. 

The caveat being, more research is needed in this area for better understanding. Nothing is set in stone when it comes to autism. 

RDoc vs DSM

RDoc v DSM

The RDoC (Research Domain Criteria) & DSM  (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) are both tools used in the field of mental health, but they approach the understanding and classification of mental disorders from different perspectives. DSM is a clinically focused tool for diagnosing mental disabilities based on symptomatic criteria, while RDoC is a research-focused framework aiming to understand mental health disorders from a multidimensional, biopsychosocial perspective

• DSM : Published by the American Psychiatric Association. It provides clear diagnostic categories based on observable behavior and reported symptoms. However, the DSM is often criticized for its categorical approach, where a patient either has or does not have a particular disability.
• RDoC : Developed by NIMH. The RDoC is not a diagnostic tool;  it's a research framework. RDoC aims to integrate many levels of information (from genomics and circuits to behavior) to better understand basic dimensions of functioning that span the full range of human behavior . The goal of RDoC is to provide a more dimensional approach to understanding mental disabilities, based on neuroscience and behavioral science, rather than purely on observable symptoms.

Autism and RDoC

Autism, under the RDoC framework, is seen not as a single, homogeneous disorder but as a spectrum that includes a variety of symptoms and behaviors that can vary widely in challenge-level and impact-level. This aligns with the current understanding of autism as a "spectrum."

For example, RDoC organizes its research around several "domains" of human psychological functioning, including cognitive processes, social processes, and arousal/regulatory systems, all of which are areas where autistics may show differences. Within these domains, RDoC further identifies specific constructs - like social communication and perception, or cognitive systems related to attention and perception - that could be targets for research into the biological and behavioral underpinnings of autism.

Challenges in implementing RDoC
There are potential challenges to implementing RDoC principles more fully into research or clinical practice for autism.

• Trying to map a heterogeneous disability like Autism onto the specific domains and constructs defined by RDoC.
• Current lack of practical tools and measures available to clinicians, to assess the various domains and constructs defined by RDoC in a routine clinical setting. This includes standardized measures for assessing constructs like social communication and perception, or the cognitive systems related to attention and perception that are relevant to autism.
• Need for further research: to validate the constructs and domains defined by RDoC, and to understand how these relate to the symptoms and behaviors associated with autism. We need a deeper understanding of the relationships between the biological, psychological, and behavioral aspects of autism to fully implement the RDoC approach.
• Changing Existing Systems & Acceptance in the Clinical and Research Community:  Current diagnostic systems like DSM-5 are deeply rooted in many aspects of mental health care. It must gain acceptance not only among researchers, but also among clinicians, educators, and families. This requires education and evidence that the RDoC approach can improve outcomes for autistics.

Interoception and exteroception

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

Interoception and exteroception are two types of sensory perception.

Interoception refers to the sense of the internal state of the body. It helps us understand and feel what's going on inside our bodies, like feeling hungry, thirsty, or perceiving our heartbeat. Interoceptive awareness contributes to emotional regulation and self-awareness.

Exteroception refers to the perception of the external environment through our senses like vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. These senses help us navigate and interact with the world around us.

Research findings  in autism:

Autistics often exhibit differences in sensory processing, which may include atypical interoceptive and exteroceptive perception. Findings (examples below) suggest that atypical interoceptive and exteroceptive processing may be significant factors in understanding the behavioral and sensory symptoms in individuals with autism.

• This review explores the role of oxytocin in interoception and its potential implications for autism. The authors propose that atypical interoceptive processing, potentially linked to altered oxytocin functioning, could contribute to the social and emotional difficulties experienced by autistics. (1)
• This study found that adult autistics exhibited significantly lower interoceptive awareness compared to NT adults. The authors suggest that this might be related to the difficulties in social and emotional processing seen in autism (2).
• This review discusses various neurophysiological findings in sensory processing, including exteroception, in autistics. The authors highlight that altered sensory processing may contribute to the core features of ASD, such as social communication and repetitive behaviors (3) 

Self Consciousness

Self-consciousness refers to a psychological state in which an person is aware of themselves as a distinct entity, separate from their surroundings, and possesses a sense of self-awareness. It involves the ability to reflect upon and recognize one's thoughts, emotions, and actions, as well as to perceive oneself as an object of observation and evaluation by others.

Self-consciousness is a fundamental aspect of human cognition and plays a significant role in shaping our experiences, behavior, and social interactions. It is believed to emerge during early childhood as part of the development of self-identity and continues to evolve throughout a person's lifetime

Self-consciousness encompasses various aspects, including self-perception, self-reflection, self-evaluation, and self-awareness. It involves the ability to introspect and engage in self-analysis, examining one's thoughts, beliefs, desires, and intentions. It also entails being aware of one's own body and physical presence in space.

Self-consciousness also involves a social dimension, as individuals may become aware of how they are perceived by others and adjust their behavior accordingly. This can lead to feelings of self-consciousness in social situations, where people may feel concerned about being judged or evaluated by others.

While self-consciousness can influence self-esteem, they are separate concepts. Self-consciousness refers to the awareness of oneself, while self-esteem relates to one's evaluation and feelings of self-worth. 

Research suggests atypical self-consciousness in autism. 

• This study examined self-referential cognition and empathy in individuals with autism using self-report questionnaires. The findings suggested that autistics may have reduced self-referential processing and difficulties with empathy (1)
• Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study investigated self-referential processing . The results indicated altered neural activation in brain regions associated with self-representation, suggesting atypical self-consciousness in autism (2).
• This longitudinal study explored self-recognition and self-consciousness in children with autism using tasks such as mirror self-recognition and pretend play. The findings suggested delayed development of self-recognition and reduced engagement in pretend play in children with autism (3).
• This review article proposed the social motivation theory of autism, which emphasizes the influence of altered self-consciousness on social behavior and social cognition in autistics. It provides insights into how self-consciousness is linked to the broader social challenges observed in autism (4).

As always research on autism is not set in stone and is still evolving.

Autism and GI Issues

There is a strong link between gastrointestinal (GI) issues and autism. Studies have shown that up to 90% of people with ASD have some type of GI problem, compared to about 20% of the general population. The most common GI problems seen in autism are constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, vomiting, reflux, IBD, Celiac disease, food allergies and food intolerance. 

There are a number of possible explanations for the link between GI issues and ASD. One possibility is  an increased sensitivity to certain foods or food additives. Another possibility is an imbalance of gut bacteria, which can lead to GI problems. Additionally, autistics may have difficulty communicating their GI symptoms, which can make it difficult to diagnose and treat these problems.

Temporal Binding Window and Autism

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

Temporal binding window (TBW) refers to the specific time frame during which the brain integrates and processes information from different sensory modalities. It is the period in which the brain combines and links stimuli occurring close in time and attributes them to a single event. This window is crucial for the perception of synchrony and the formation of coherent perceptual experiences.

In autistics, research suggests alterations in the TBW due to difficulties in accurately perceiving and integrating sensory information across different modalities, leading to difficulties in forming a unified perception of the world.

One aspect of the TBW that has been extensively studied in relation to autism is audiovisual integration. Typically, individuals are sensitive to the relative timing of auditory and visual stimuli and can perceive them as belonging to a single event when presented within a certain temporal proximity. However, studies have shown that autistics may have a broader or more extended TBW. This means that they require a longer temporal proximity between auditory and visual stimuli to perceive them as synchronized.

This winder TBW has implication in terms of social communication and interaction since the perception of synchrony is crucial for understanding and interpreting non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, gestures, and vocal intonations. Difficulties in integrating sensory information across different modalities can also contribute to sensory processing issues commonly observed in individuals with autism, such as hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to certain stimuli.

TBW may also influence higher-level cognitive processes such as attention, perception of causality, and the ability to predict and anticipate events. Disruptions in these processes can impact the ability to understand the temporal structure of events and may contribute to difficulties with executive functioning.