Neurotransmitters Flow in this Autism Mind: Sensorimotor

Showing posts with label Sensorimotor. Show all posts

Fidget Stim Toys and Autism

Many autistics have sensory processing difficulties and may be hyper- or hypo-sensitive to environmental stimuli.

Fidget stim toys (eg: stress balls or fidget spinners) have been associated with autism.

Do Fidget toys help ALL autistics? The answer may surprise you.

How Autism Changes Perception

Seeing the World in More Detail: How Autism Changes Perception

Imagine walking into a busy street market. Most people see a blur of color and activity, a rush of sounds blending together—a vibrant but overwhelming scene. But for some autistics, this moment might feel different. They could notice the intricate patterns on the fabrics hanging in a shop, the slight variations in pitch from different voices, or the distinct texture of the pavement underfoot. These details pop out in a way that others might miss.

This heightened ability to perceive the world in more detail is a central idea behind the Enhanced Perceptual Functioning (EPF) model of autism. Proposed by Laurent Mottron and his team, the EPF model offers a refreshing way of understanding the sensory differences experienced by autistics —not as deficits, but as strengths.

What is the Enhanced Perceptual Functioning Model?

In simple terms, the EPF model suggests that many autistics have superior abilities when it comes to perceiving certain types of sensory information. This might mean they can pick up on subtle visual details, hear sounds that others tune out, or feel textures more intensely.

Let’s break down the key ideas:

Enhanced Sensory Abilities: Autistics might outperform NTs in tasks like detecting fine details, distinguishing sounds, or noticing tiny changes in the environment. For example, while most of us might not notice a slight shift in a pattern, an autistic may immediately pick up on it.
Details Over Big Picture: One core idea of the EPF model is that perception tends to take precedence over higher-level cognitive processes like interpretation. While many people naturally try to see the “big picture” of what’s happening around them, autistics may focus more on specific details. This is why, in certain tasks, they excel at noticing things that others would miss.
Perception Runs Independently: The EPF model also suggests that autistic individuals’ sensory processing may work more independently from top-down cognitive influences like attention or expectations. This autonomy can allow for a clearer, less biased perception of the world, but it can also mean that irrelevant stimuli are harder to filter out, sometimes leading to sensory overload.
Strengths, Not Impairments: Where traditional models might view sensory sensitivities as impairments, the EPF model reinterprets them as the byproducts of enhanced sensory functioning. An autistic person might experience sensory overload because they are perceiving far more detail than the average person, not because their brain is malfunctioning.

Seeing Sensory Differences Through a New Lens

What does this mean in practice? Imagine that someone with autism is in a noisy restaurant. Instead of just hearing the hum of conversation, they may notice every individual voice, the clinking of silverware, the hum of the air conditioner—every layer of sound. In this scenario, sensory overload can occur because they’re processing more sensory input, not less. Their brain is tuned into the fine details of the environment.

But these heightened perceptual abilities can also be a tremendous strength. Consider autistic artists who create incredibly detailed, realistic drawings, or musicians who can identify subtle differences in pitch. This kind of attention to detail has led to extraordinary achievements in various fields, from scientific research to creative arts.

Beyond the Stereotypes: Autism’s Hidden Potential

The EPF model encourages us to move beyond the deficit-based view of autism, which focuses solely on challenges. Instead, it invites us to think about the hidden potential that comes with enhanced sensory abilities. For instance, many autistics have made major contributions to fields that require precise attention to sensory detail, like visual arts, music composition, and even coding.

By recognizing and embracing these strengths, we can create environments that allow autistic people to thrive. Schools, workplaces, and social settings can be designed to harness these abilities, turning what might traditionally be viewed as a challenge into a powerful tool.

A Shift in Thinking

The Enhanced Perceptual Functioning model of autism offers a new way to understand sensory experiences in autism—not as impairments, but as areas of enhanced ability. This shift in thinking has profound implications for how we support, educate, and interact with autistic individuals. It encourages us to focus on the strengths that often come with heightened perception and to consider how those strengths can be celebrated and integrated into society.

Next time you’re in a bustling environment, pause and think: what if you could notice every small detail, every nuance of sound and texture? For some, this is not just a possibility—it’s their reality, and it comes with both challenges and strengths.

Poster at CAN 2024

Yeah, I have another Poster Acceptance for the College Autism Network Summit 2024 in Oct.

================

From: College Autism Network
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2024 2:41 PM
To: Srinivasan, Hari
Subject: College Autism Summit Submission Accepted - Poster

Dear Poster Participant:

We are pleased to inform you that your College Autism Summit submission titled 'Navigating the Near: Virtual Reality Investigations of Peripersonal Space in Autism' has been accepted.

………..

Best,
Amy Radochonski and Cherie Fishbaugh, Program Co-Chairs

E-I Imbalance Theory of Autism

The E-I Imbalance hypothesis posits that an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory signaling in the brain contributes to the sensory, cognitive, and behavioral features of autism.

PlainSpeak: This idea says that a mix-up between signals that excite and calm the brain can cause the sensory, thinking, and behavior issues in autism.

Read in more detail about E-I Imbalance

For the Scientific/Academic Audience

PlainSpeak / Plain Language for the Lay Reader

Predictive Coding Theory of Autism

Predictive coding is a theoretical framework in which the brain is modeled as a hierarchical system that generates predictions about incoming sensory data, constantly updating its internal models to minimize prediction errors. Autism, in the context of predictive coding, is hypothesized to involve atypicalities in how the brain generates, updates, and weights predictions and prediction errors, contributing to sensory sensitivities, repetitive behaviors, and social difficulties.[Read in more detail]

PlainSpeak: Predictive coding is the idea that the brain works like a prediction machine, guessing what’s going to happen next and adjusting when something unexpected happens. Autism might involve the brain having a harder time making and adjusting predictions, which can lead to challenges with senses, routines, and social interactions. [ Read in detail. PlainSpeak Version]

Read in More Detail about Predictive Coding Theory of Autism

For the Scientific/Academic Audience

PlainSpeak Plain Language for Lay Reader

A Short Definition

Neuroception - Safety Perception

Autism Lexicon - Neuroception

Neuroception is the brain's automatic process of evaluating environmental safety and threat levels, often dysregulated in autism, leading to heightened sensitivity to sensory input and potentially contributing to negative attribution bias and hostile attribution bias. [ Read in more detail on Neuroception here].

PlainSpeak: Neuroception is how our brain unconsciously decides if we're safe or in danger. In autism, this process can be heightened, causing some people to see everyday situations as more threatening, which can affect how they respond to others. [ Read in more detail on Neurocepton here].

Related Posts on [Neuroception], [Negative Attribution Bias] and [Hostile Attribution Bias]

Active Sensing and Autism

Neuroscience Concepts:

Active Sensing

Active sensing refers to the process by which organisms actively control their sensory organs to acquire and process sensory information more effectively. In the context of multisensory integration, active sensing involves the coordination and adjustment of different sensory inputs based on motor actions to enhance the perception of the environment. For instance, moving the head or eyes to better see or hear a source of interest, or manipulating an object to better gauge its properties. This form of sensing is crucial because it allows an organism to integrate sensory information from various sources in a way that is aligned with current behavioral goals, thereby enhancing decision-making and interaction with the environment.

In autistics, active sensing and multisensory integration can manifest differently compared to NTs. Research suggests that autistics may experience variations in how sensory information is integrated, leading to differences in perceiving and responding to the environment. For example:

Hypo- and Hypersensitivities: Autistic individuals often exhibit sensory sensitivities that can affect their active sensing behaviors. Hypersensitivities (over-responsiveness) might lead to avoidance of certain sensory inputs, while hyposensitivities (under-responsiveness) might lead to seeking out more intense sensory experiences. This can affect how they use active sensing in daily interactions.
Attention and Filtering: Differences in attentional mechanisms in autism can influence active sensing. Autistic individuals might have difficulty filtering out irrelevant sensory stimuli, leading to challenges in focusing on specific sensory inputs necessary for effective multisensory integration.
Motor Coordination and Planning: Difficulties with motor coordination and planning, commonly observed in autism, can also impact active sensing. If motor actions are less precise or more effortful, it may affect the ability to actively manipulate sensory inputs effectively.
Neural Processing Differences: Studies have shown differences in neural processing pathways involved in sensory perception in autism. Research has noted that autistic individuals might process sensory inputs in a more localized manner, potentially affecting the global integration of multisensory information (Marco et al., 2011)
Predictive Coding: Some theories, such as those involving predictive coding, suggest that autistics might have a different approach to anticipating sensory inputs, which impacts how sensory information is integrated and processed. This can lead to differences in how expected and unexpected stimuli are managed, further influencing active sensing behaviors.

These differences highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of how multisensory integration and active sensing operate in autism. They also underscore the importance of creating environments and interventions that are sensitive to the unique sensory processing characteristics of autistic individuals, thereby supporting better integration of sensory information and more effective interaction with the world.

Autism and the Cocktail Party Effect

Concepts in Multisensory Integration

The "cocktail party effect" refers to the brain's ability to focus one's auditory attention on a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli, as when a person can focus on a single conversation in a noisy environment. This ability involves the auditory cortex and other brain regions that manage attention. The term was coined by cognitive scientist Colin Cherry in the 1950s.

For example, at a busy party with multiple conversations happening simultaneously, you are able to listen and respond to one person speaking to you without being distracted by the surrounding noise. This phenomenon highlights our ability to selectively attend to particular sounds in a complex auditory landscape. It's often studied in contexts involving hearing, neuroscience, and psychology, particularly in understanding how attention and the sensory system interact.

In autistics, the cocktail party effect may manifest differently due to variations in auditory processing and attentional focus. Autistics often experience atypical auditory processing, which can mean that separating speech from background noise is more challenging. This difficulty is sometimes referred to as auditory filtering problems with "auditory scene analysis." Research suggests autistic children show diminished performance in tasks requiring them to attend to speech in noisy environments compared to their neurotypical peers (Alcántara et al., 2004). This can contribute to the sensory overload many autistic individuals report in noisy or crowded settings.

The brain regions involved in auditory processing might function differently in autism, affecting how sounds are perceived and processed (O'Connor, 2012) . The auditory cortex may not effectively differentiate between foreground and background noises, leading to a potential overwhelming influx of auditory information. Consequently, this can make social interactions and communication more strenuous in environments that NTs might find manageable.

These auditory processing differences are an essential consideration in understanding the sensory experiences of autistic individuals and underscore the need for tailored strategies in educational, social, and occupational settings to accommodate their unique sensory profiles.

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Versions of this article: Academic/Scientific Audience and PlainSpeak for Lay Reader

Articles on other topics in #PlainSpeak

Research time - Motion Tracking

Checking out some new gadgets and tech being set up at our soon to be 'immersive VR cave" at our research lab. The optictrack glove has sensors on to track hand movements movements seen in the video when I moved my hand up and down. Will be using some of this cool tech in my research on Peri Personal Space. Still being set up so more to come.

Cognitive Theories and Sensorimotor Explanations for Autism

While no single theory or idea fully explains all aspects of autism, each attempts to provide insights into different cognitive, sensory or behavioral characteristics associated with autism or the history behind why things could be the way they are. Here are some of the theories, ideas and issues. they can also be found in posts in the following hashtags [#sensorimotor] [#AutismTheories]

Interoception

Interoception refers to the perception of internal bodily states and is a critical component of emotional awareness and regulation. In autism, interoceptive experiences can be distinct, potentially influencing the recognition and communication of needs and emotions (Quattrocki & Friston, 2014). This divergence in interoceptive processing underscores the complexity of understanding internal states and managing emotions in autism.

Understanding Autism and The Cocktail Party Effect

Plain Language Version for Lay Reader

The "cocktail party effect" is the brain's ability to focus on one sound, like a conversation, while ignoring other noises around us. Imagine you're at a busy party with many people talking. You can still listen to and talk with one person without getting distracted by the background noise. This skill involves parts of the brain that handle hearing and attention. The term was first used by scientist Colin Cherry in the 1950s.

How It Works

At a noisy event, like a party, you can focus on what one person is saying even though many other conversations are happening at the same time. This shows how we can pick out specific sounds in a noisy place. Scientists study this to understand how our attention and hearing systems work together.

Autism and the Cocktail Party Effect

For autistics, the cocktail party effect can work differently because of how they process sounds and focus their attention. Here are some key points:

Auditory Filtering: Autistics might find it harder to separate speech from background noise. This is sometimes called "auditory filtering problems."
Research Findings: Studies show that autistic children often have more trouble focusing on speech in noisy places compared to non-autistic children. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed by too much noise.
Brain Differences: The parts of the brain that deal with sound might work differently in autistic people. This can make it hard to tell apart important sounds (like someone talking to you) from background noise.

Why It Matters

Understanding these differences is important to help autistic people feel more comfortable in noisy places. Schools, workplaces, and social settings can use this knowledge to create better environments that consider their sensory needs.

Versions of this article: Academic/Scientific Audience, Plain Language for Lay Reader

Articles on other topics in #PlainSpeak

Oddball Paradigms in Autism Research

Lexicon: Oddball Paradigms

Oddball trials, also known as oddball tasks or oddball paradigms, are a type of research experimental design used in cognitive and sensorimotor research. The oddball paradigm has been widely used in autism research to investigate sensory processing differences, attentional issues, and cognitive control. During an oddball task, researchers typically measure various physiological and behavioral responses, such as reaction times, accuracy rates, ERPs (via EEG) or fMRI (to examine neural activity patterns).

The oddball paradigm typically consists of two types of stimuli and participants are asked to detect and respond to the oddball.

Standard Stimuli: These are the most common stimuli presented in the sequence and serve as the baseline / control stimuli, occurring with higher frequency. Participants are generally instructed to ignore standard stimuli and withhold any response to them
Target Stimuli: These are the less frequent or "oddball" stimuli that differ in some way from the standard stimuli. The target stimuli can be defined by various characteristics, such as a different color, shape, sound, or any other perceptual feature.

The purpose of oddball trials is to investigate how the brain processes and detects rare or deviant stimuli amidst a background of more common stimuli. By manipulating the frequency and characteristics of the target and standard stimuli, researchers can examine various aspects of cognitive processing, including

Attention: how participants allocate and sustain their attention to detect infrequent target stimuli. It allows researchers to explore the mechanisms of selective attention, attentional capture, and the ability to filter out irrelevant information.
Perception & perceptual processing: how the brain discriminates between different stimuli; how the brain detects and discriminates deviant stimuli based on sensory features, and how it forms representations and expectations about the environment
Memory and Cognitive Control: Participants may be required to remember the occurrence or characteristics of the target stimuli and maintain this information for subsequent recall or recognition. Also sheds light on cognitive control processes, such as response inhibition and response selection when distinguishing between standard and target stimuli.

Oddball Paradigms in Autism Research

Oddball paradigms in autism research, offer a window into the sensory processing differences, attentional mechanisms, and cognitive control capabilities.

Sensory Processing Differences: One of the core areas of investigation in autism is sensory processing as autistics often exhibit atypical responses to sensory stimuli, which can range from heightened sensitivity to specific stimuli to a diminished response to others. Oddball paradigms help researchers understand these sensory anomalies by comparing how autistics detect and respond to infrequent target stimuli compared to neurotypical controls. This can reveal whether there is an enhanced perceptual sensitivity or other unique patterns of sensory processing in autism.
Attention and Attentional Allocation: Studies focus on how autistics sustain and allocate their attention when faced with rare target stimuli amidst a stream of more common stimuli. Findings often indicate differences in how attention is captured and maintained, which can be linked to broader attentional issues in autism. For instance, some research suggests autistics may focus more on local details rather than global features of stimuli (Weak Central Coherence theory)
Cognitive Control and Inhibition: Cognitive control, including response inhibition and flexibility in shifting attention, is frequently assessed through oddball tasks. These tasks can highlight the executive functioning issues, such as challenges with inhibiting inappropriate responses or switching attention between different tasks or stimuli.

Key Findings from Autism Research

Research using oddball paradigms has provided several key insights into the neurocognitive characteristics of ASD:

Enhanced Perceptual Sensitivity: Some studies suggest that autistics may exhibit enhanced perceptual sensitivity, reacting more quickly or accurately to target stimuli than neurotypical individuals. This heightened sensitivity might be associated with an increased focus on specific features in the environment.
Atypical Neural Responses: Differences in the amplitude and latency of ERP components, such as the P3 wave, which is linked to attentional processes and cognitive evaluation, have been noted (1).
Attentional Allocation Differences: The way individuals with autism allocate their attention during oddball tasks often differs from that of neurotypical individuals. This can include a tendency to focus more narrowly on specific stimuli aspects, potentially reflecting a unique attentional strategy or sensory processing style (2).
Cognitive Control Challenges: Oddball tasks also reveal cognitive control issues, such as difficulties with response inhibition and flexibility in attention shifting. These findings are consistent with broader patterns of executive dysfunction observed in autism (3).

2 versions of this post

PlainSpeak. In plain language for the Lay Reader

For the scientific/academic reader

References:

Gomot, M., et al. (2008). Atypical auditory processing in children with autism: A cohort study with event-related potentials. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(7), 1307-1316.
Sokhadze, E. M., et al. (2009). Atypical prefrontal cortex development in autism: ERP evidence of abnormal inhibitory control in a Go/NoGo task. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 5, 9.
Hill, E. L. (2004). Executive dysfunction in autism: A review of the evidence for specific deficits. Developmental Psychopathology, 16(3), 377-401.

Perception Runs Independently

The Strengths and Challenges of Autonomous Sensory Processing

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Enhanced Perceptual Functioning (EPF) model is the idea that, for many autistic individuals, sensory processing operates more independently from higher-level cognitive influences, like attention or expectation. This can be understood through the concepts of top-down and bottom-up processing—two different ways the brain handles sensory information.

Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Processing:

In a neurotypical brain, sensory processing often follows a top-down model, where the brain relies on past experiences, expectations, and context to interpret incoming sensory information. Top-down processing is heavily influenced by cognitive control areas, such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which helps direct attention and filter out irrelevant stimuli. This kind of processing ensures that we don’t get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sensory data—our brains focus on what we expect to see or hear, filling in the gaps based on previous experiences.

For example, when you walk through a busy street, your frontal cortex might direct your attention to familiar sounds, like a car engine or a friend's voice, while tuning out irrelevant details like background noise. This ability to prioritize sensory input helps you function efficiently, without being overwhelmed by the countless stimuli around you.

In contrast, the EPF model suggests that autistics experience a stronger reliance on bottom-up sensory processing. This means that their brains process raw sensory input before cognitive filters have a chance to influence what is perceived. Bottom-up processing starts in the sensory pathways—for instance, visual information is processed from the eyes through the thalamus to the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe, and auditory information moves from the ears through the thalamus to the primary auditory cortex in the temporal lobe.

In this bottom-up process, the brain takes in a more direct and unfiltered version of sensory input, without as much modulation from higher cognitive regions like the prefrontal cortex. As a result, the autistic brain may prioritize details that neurotypical brains might quickly dismiss. While this means autistic individuals often have a clearer, more detailed perception, it also means their brains may struggle to filter out irrelevant stimuli in a noisy environment, leading to sensory overload.

The Role of Attention and Sensory Pathways
The differences in top-down and bottom-up processing in autism can also be understood in terms of how the brain handles attention. In neurotypical individuals, the dorsal attention network (DAN) and ventral attention network (VAN) play key roles in guiding attention to relevant stimuli. The DAN, which involves regions like the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the frontal eye fields, helps direct voluntary attention to important stimuli based on goals or expectations (top-down). The VAN, which includes areas like the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), responds to unexpected but relevant sensory information (bottom-up).

In autistics, research suggests that these attentional networks may function differently. The brain might have a harder time using top-down signals from areas like the prefrontal cortex to guide attention, leading to an increased reliance on bottom-up sensory input. This could explain why many autistic people seem to notice small details others miss—their brains are less influenced by pre-existing expectations and more tuned in to the raw sensory data arriving from their environment.

This also ties into findings of hyperconnectivity or altered connectivity between sensory regions and higher cognitive areas in autism. Studies using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) have shown that autistic brains may have more local connectivity in sensory areas, meaning that signals in these regions are processed more intensely, while long-range connectivity to cognitive control areas may be weaker. This imbalance can contribute to heightened sensory experiences and challenges with regulating attention.

A Clearer, Less Biased Perception

The benefit of this autonomy is that autistic individuals often perceive the world in a way that is less biased by assumptions or distractions. For example, while a NT brain might overlook subtle differences in a visual scene because it’s focused on the overall picture or expected patterns, an autistic may notice these fine details with ease. This ability to see things without the brain’s automatic filters allows for incredibly precise perception in many situations.

Consider the case of an autistic artist. While many people would glance at a tree and interpret its general shape and structure, an autistic artist might perceive the unique texture of the bark, the subtle variations in leaf color, or the intricate patterns of shadow and light. These details aren’t blurred by the brain’s expectations of what a tree "should" look like—they are seen as they truly are.

This enhanced attention to detail has clear advantages in fields that rely on precision. This may explain why some autistics may excel in areas like programming, scientific research, music, and visual arts because their brain processes sensory information in a highly accurate, detailed way that isn’t as easily influenced by preconceived ideas.

Sensory Pathways and Overload

The way sensory information travels in the brain also provides insight into why sensory overload can be more common in autistic individuals. In a neurotypical brain, the thalamus, often referred to as the brain’s “sensory relay station,” plays a major role in filtering out unnecessary sensory input before it reaches the cortex. However, research has suggested that in autism, the thalamus may not perform this filtering function as effectively, allowing more sensory data to pass through to higher brain regions.

Once this unfiltered sensory information reaches the cortex, the autistic brain—especially with heightened local connectivity in sensory areas—may amplify the sensory experience. This is why an autistic individual walking through a crowded mall might be overwhelmed by every sound, every light, every movement around them. Their brain is processing all stimuli equally, without prioritizing which are most important for the situation.

However, this independence from top-down cognitive filtering comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to sensory overload. Imagine walking through a crowded mall. For most people, the brain quickly decides what sensory information is relevant—focusing on navigating the crowd and maybe listening to the person they’re walking with, while tuning out background music, chatter, and bright displays.

In contrast, an autistic individual may perceive all the stimuli equally, because their brain isn’t filtering out irrelevant details as efficiently. The result can be overwhelming. Every sound, every light, every movement is processed with equal importance, which can make it incredibly difficult to focus on any one task. This is why autistic individuals often report feeling overwhelmed or anxious in environments that are filled with sensory input—there’s simply too much to take in.

This phenomenon is a key part of what many call sensory hypersensitivity in autism. The inability to tune out irrelevant stimuli doesn’t mean that the brain is malfunctioning; rather, it’s processing far more information than the average person. While this can lead to sensory overload, it also means that in more controlled environments, autistic individuals can exhibit an extraordinary level of focus on tasks that rely on the ability to notice and analyze small details.

Balancing Strengths and Challenges

The EPF model presents both strengths and challenges due to this reliance on bottom-up processing. On the positive side, it explains why many autistic individuals excel in areas requiring high attention to detail. The precision of their perception allows them to see, hear, and feel things that others might miss, making them particularly skilled in fields like art, music, programming, and scientific research.

However, the same ability that allows for such detailed perception can also lead to sensory overload in environments with a lot of stimuli. Without the same level of filtering, every sound, every sight, and every touch is processed with equal importance, which can make it hard to focus on any one thing.

Supporting Autistic Sensory Processing

The EPF model encourages us to view this type of sensory processing not as a defect but as a different way of experiencing the world. The challenge, then, is to find ways to support autistic individuals in environments that might overwhelm their senses, while also allowing them to harness their heightened perceptual abilities in ways that suit them.

Understanding how top-down and bottom-up processing work differently in autism helps us find better ways to support autistic individuals. For example, in educational settings, creating sensory-friendly environments—with softer lighting, quieter spaces, and less clutter—can help reduce the burden of sensory overload. Allowing students to use noise-canceling headphones or providing breaks in quieter areas can help them manage sensory input more effectively.

In the workplace, offering flexible environments or hybrid work options where autistic employees can adjust lighting or reduce noise can allow them to focus on their strengths, like attention to detail. By recognizing the autonomy of their sensory processing, we can create spaces that support both their sensory needs and their abilities.

Neuroception and Autism: Unpacking the Neurological Underpinnings of Safety Perception

Neuroception, a concept introduced by Dr. Stephen Porges, refers to the unconscious neural process by which the nervous system evaluates environmental stimuli to determine whether situations or people are safe, dangerous, or life-threatening. This assessment involves complex neural circuits that process sensory input and influence autonomic responses, particularly within the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Neuroception is pivotal in shaping an individual's physiological state and behavioral responses, particularly in the context of social engagement and self-regulation.

Research indicates that neuroception is closely linked to the vagal nerve's activity, a critical component of the parasympathetic nervous system. The polyvagal theory, also developed by Porges, suggests that the vagal nerve's two branches—the myelinated ventral vagal complex (VVC) and the unmyelinated dorsal vagal complex (DVC)—play distinct roles in regulating physiological states and behavioral responses (1). The VVC is associated with social engagement behaviors and a sense of safety, while the DVC is linked to immobilization responses often seen in life-threatening situations.

In autism, atypical neuroception may contribute to differences in sensory processing and social interactions. Autistic individuals often experience heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, which can result in their perceiving benign environments as overwhelming or threatening. This heightened state of perceived threat can trigger autonomic responses that manifest as anxiety, withdrawal, or challenging behaviors, complicating social engagement and adaptive functioning (2).

Neuroception is not merely a sensory processing issue but can be tied to a broader social construct known as hostile attribution bias. Hostile attribution bias is the tendency to interpret ambiguous situations or behaviors as having hostile intent. In autistic individuals, this bias might manifest due to heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, where the nervous system erroneously signals danger in non-threatening situations (1; 3).

Studies have shown that autistic individuals are more likely to perceive ambiguous social situations as hostile [4] compared to neurotypical peers, a tendency linked to higher levels of social anxiety and maladaptive behaviors such as aggression and self-injury (SIB). This bias may not only stem from inherent difficulties in social cue interpretation but could also be a result of chronic exposure to societal stigma and exclusion. Research suggests that prolonged negative social experiences, such as discrimination and misunderstanding, can significantly shape cognitive and emotional responses, leading to a heightened sensitivity to potential threats or hostile intentions (3).

Moreover, research has highlighted that the interoceptive accuracy, or the ability to accurately perceive internal bodily signals, may be altered in autism. This alteration can affect the individual's capacity to assess internal states, further influencing neuroception (3). As a result, interventions aimed at enhancing interoceptive awareness and modulating sensory input may offer therapeutic benefits by improving the neuroceptive processes in autistic individuals.

In conclusion, neuroception offers a framework for understanding the underlying neural mechanisms that influence how individuals with autism perceive and respond to their environment. By integrating findings from neurophysiology, sensory processing research, and therapeutic interventions, we can better support the development of strategies that promote adaptive functioning and well-being in the autistic community.

Related Posts on [Neuroception], [Negative Attribution Bias] and [Hostile Attribution Bias]

References:

Porges, S. W. (2007). The polyvagal perspective. Biological Psychology, 74(2), 116-143.
Klintwall, L., Holm, A., Eriksson, M., Carlsson, L. H., Olsson, M. B., Hedvall, Å., & Fernell, E. (2011). Sensory abnormalities in autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32(2), 795-800.
Schauder, K. B., Mash, L. E., Bryant, L. K., & Cascio, C. J. (2015). Interoceptive ability and body awareness in autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 131, 193-200.
White, S. W., Ollendick, T., & Bray, B. C. (2011). College students on the autism spectrum: Prevalence and associated problems. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 15(6), 683-701.

Alexithymia and Interoception

Alexithymia and interoception are intertwined aspects of emotional processing, yet they represent different dimensions of self-awareness.

Alexithymia characterizes individuals who struggle to recognize and articulate their emotions, often leading to difficulties in interpersonal relationships and emotional expression. On the other hand, interoception pertains to the awareness of internal bodily sensations, providing individuals with valuable information about their emotional states.

The ability to accurately interpret these internal cues is essential for emotional regulation and understanding. In the context of alexithymia, impaired interoceptive awareness can exacerbate the challenges faced by individuals, making it harder for them to connect their emotional experiences with physiological responses. Consequently, addressing both alexithymia and interoception is crucial in enhancing emotional intelligence and overall well-being.

And yes, both are issues seen in autism.

Understanding Oddball Tasks and Their Role in Autism Research

PlainSpeak - In Plain Language for the Lay Reader

What Are Oddball Tasks?

Oddball tasks are a type of experiment used by researchers to study how people pay attention and respond to different things. In these tasks, participants are shown a series of items, most of which are similar (standard stimuli), but occasionally, a different item appears (target or oddball stimuli). The participants' job is to notice and respond to these different, or "oddball," items.

Standard Stimuli: These are the regular items that appear frequently. Participants are usually told not to react to these.
Target/Oddball Stimuli: These are the special items that appear less often and are different in some noticeable way, such as a different color or shape. Participants are asked to respond to these items when they see them.

Why Do Researchers Use Oddball Tasks?

The main goal of oddball tasks is to see how the brain reacts to unusual or unexpected things. By changing how often the oddball items appear and what they look like, researchers can learn about different aspects of how we think and process information.

Attention: Researchers study how well people can focus on the oddball items and how quickly they notice them, which helps understand attention skills.
Perception: By seeing how people differentiate between the regular and oddball items, researchers learn about how the brain processes different types of information.
Memory and Control: These tasks also help researchers understand how well people can remember what they saw and how they control their responses.

Oddball Tasks in Autism Research

Oddball tasks are particularly useful in autism as autistics often experience the world differently, especially when it comes to sensory processing, attention, and controlling their actions.

Sensory Processing: Autistics may respond differently to sensory experiences, such as sounds or lights. Oddball tasks help researchers see if they are more sensitive to certain stimuli or if they notice different things more quickly than others.
Attention: Studies using oddball tasks have found that autistics might pay attention to details differently. For example, they may focus more on specific parts of an object rather than the whole picture.
Cognitive Control: These tasks can also reveal challenges that people with autism may face in stopping themselves from reacting to certain stimuli or in shifting their focus from one thing to another.

Key Findings from Research

Enhanced Sensitivity: Some research shows that autistics might notice oddball stimuli faster or more accurately, suggesting they might have heightened sensitivity to certain details (1).
Different Brain Responses: Studies measuring brain activity have found that people with autism may show different patterns of brain responses to oddball tasks, indicating differences in how they process attention and sensory information (2).
Attention and Control: Autistics might have unique ways of focusing their attention, which can sometimes make it challenging to shift focus or control responses (3)

Oddball tasks provide valuable insights into the unique ways people with autism perceive and interact with the world, helping researchers and clinicians better understand and support their needs

2 versions of this post

For the scientific/academic reader

PlainSpeak. In plain language for the Lay Reader

Stims and Multisensory Integration

In the context of multisensory integration, autism stims or self-stimulatory can be understood as a way to manage and regulate sensory input from their environment. Multisensory integration refers to the neurological process where the brain combines information from different sensory systems to form a comprehensive understanding of one's surroundings. For autistics, this integration process can be atypical, leading to unique sensory experiences and responses.

Understanding Stims in Relation to Multisensory Integration:

Compensating for Sensory Processing Differences: Autistics may experience hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to sensory stimuli. Stims can be a method to either dampen overwhelming sensory input or to seek additional stimulation to compensate for under-responsiveness.
Creating Predictable Sensory Experiences: Repetitive behaviors, such as rocking or hand-flapping, provide a predictable and controllable sensory experience in a world that can often feel unpredictable and overwhelming. This predictability aids in multisensory integration by providing a constant sensory feedback loop.
Facilitating Focus and Concentration: For some, engaging in stimming behaviors can enhance focus and help filter out extraneous sensory information. This self-regulation can aid in better integrating relevant sensory inputs.
Self-Soothing and Emotional Regulation: Stimming can be a way to calm oneself in response to sensory overload. It serves as a mechanism to regulate emotional responses that arise from difficulties in processing multisensory information.
Enhancing Sensory Discrimination: Certain stims may help autistics to differentiate between different sensory inputs. For example, tactile stims like rubbing textures might help in focusing on specific tactile sensations amidst a confusing array of sensory data.
Aiding in Social and Communicative Functions: In a social context, stimming might assist autistics in managing the multisensory complexity of social interactions, such as processing visual, auditory, and spatial information simultaneously.

Implications for Support and Intervention:

(THIS AREA IS STILL NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD & VERY MUCH A WORK IN PROGRESS)

Personalized Sensory Environments: Creating environments that take into account an individual's specific sensory processing needs can reduce the necessity for stimming as a compensatory mechanism.
Sensory Integration Therapy: In theory this therapy is supposed to help autistics develop better skills to integrate and process multisensory information, potentially reducing the reliance on stimming behaviors for sensory regulation. But there is a lot of confusing and conflicting information about what exactly constitutes SIT.
Educational and Behavioral Strategies: Incorporating multisensory learning and behavioral strategies that align with an individual's sensory preferences can enhance their ability to process information from multiple senses simultaneously.

Can CATI be used to measure autistic inertia

Can CATI be used to measure Autistic Inertia.

Autistic inertia refers to the challenges autistics may face in initiating, switching, or stopping activities, which can significantly impact various aspects of their lives, from daily routines to employment and social interactions. It manifests in numerous ways, including difficulties with time management, adjusting to changes, motivation, and focusing on tasks. Support strategiesinclude providing structure, teaching time management, organizing activities around energy levels, using visual reminders, establishing routines, breaking tasks down into manageable steps, and offering prompts or assistance with task initiation. [More on autistic inertia here].

While there are no current scales to measure autistic inertia, we could perhaps use one of the measures like CATI (Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory) [post on CATI] which covers a broad range of autistic traits, and has subscales may indirectly relate to behaviors and experiences that could be associated with autistic inertia; specifically - social interactions (SOC), communication (COM), social camouflage (CAM), repetitive behaviors (REP), cognitive rigidity (RIG), and sensory sensitivity (SEN).

Cognitive Rigidity (RIG) could relate to difficulties with changing activities or adapting to new tasks, as it may measure aspects of flexibility in thinking and behavior.
Repetitive Behaviors (REP) might also have connections to autistic inertia, given that a preference for sameness and routine or repetitive actions could impact the ability to start or stop activities.
Sensory Sensitivity (SEN) could influence autistic inertia by affecting how sensory inputs are processed, potentially making transitions between activities more challenging.
Social Interactions (SOC): Difficulties in understanding and engaging in social interactions could exacerbate feelings of inertia by increasing anxiety or reluctance to transition into social activities or contexts, impacting the ability to initiate or change social engagements.
Communication (COM): Challenges with verbal and non-verbal communication may contribute to autistic inertia by making the prospect of initiating or adapting to communicative tasks more daunting, leading to delays or avoidance of these activities.
Social Camouflage (CAM): The effort required to mask autistic traits in social situations could lead to increased inertia, as the mental and emotional resources expended on camouflaging may reduce the capacity to engage with new tasks or changes.

While these subscales can provide insights into traits that might influence or correlate with autistic inertia, it's important to note that autistic inertia as a specific construct might require more targeted assessment tools or approaches to fully understand and measure its impact on autistics. The CATI provides a broad overview of autistic traits within the general population and is not designed to diagnose autism or directly measure autistic inertia.

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.

These findings have broad implications, from improving prosthetics and exoskeletons to advancing neural interface technology and rehabilitation practices, ultimately benefiting individuals with paralysis and advancing our understanding of locomotion in both animals and machines.