Phi Beta Kappa

I got an invitation to join the UC Berkeley Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa,  a very prestigious academic honor society pbk.org & pbk.berkeley.edu 

As the email invite said on Mar 5 state: 

"It is my pleasure to inform you that based on your exceptional academic record in Letters & Science, you have been invited to join the Phi Beta Kappa chapter at the University of California, Berkeley.  

 

Phi Beta Kappa is the premier academic honor society for L&S undergraduates, and its members include seven of the nine U.S. Supreme Court Justices as well as many UC Berkeley professors."

 

Disability Lessons in Practice

Article mentioning me.

https://www.illinoislend.org/new-blog/2021/3/5/disability-lessons-in-practice-by-vanessa-peixoto-honorato

 

A mention in August Company

Crip Camp | President Barack Obama Moderates A Conversation on Disability Rights

with Disability Rights leaders and makers of Crip Camp movie. 

And... I got a mention. Oh wow!! Oh wow!! A mention in August Company. 

https://youtu.be/jG8Vvkn7iPw

Atypical

 

In the context of autism, "atypical" refers to behaviors, traits, or abilities that deviate from those commonly observed in neurotypical (NT) individuals.  These atypical behaviors can encompass a range of manifestations, including repetitive movements (stereotypies), challenges in social communication and interaction, sensory sensitivities, and intense, focused interests in specific topics.

The term "atypical" is utilized to denote these behaviors because they diverge from the normative patterns expected in NT populations. For instance:

• Repetitive Movements: These may involve neural circuit dysregulation in the basal ganglia and motor cortex.
• Social Communication Difficulties: These can be attributed to differences in the neural substrates involved in social cognition and language processing, such as the prefrontal cortex and superior temporal sulcus.
• Sensory Sensitivities: These may result from atypical processing in sensory integration areas, including the thalamus and primary sensory cortices.
• Intense Interests: These could be linked to heightened activity and connectivity within the striatum and prefrontal cortex, contributing to focused attention and interest.

However, it is important to note that the term "atypical" should not be used in a negative or stigmatizing way, as autistics have unique strengths and abilities that may not be considered typical but are still valuable and important. Understanding the neural basis of these atypical behaviors can help in developing supportive interventions and highlighting the positive aspects of neurodiversity.

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Read more on Atypical: [PlainSpeak Version] [For the Academic/Scientific Audience], [A Simple Definition]

A Bingo Surprise

The team at NeuroNav had a birthday surprise for at the Team Meeting today.
it was "Hari Bingo"

IACC member

I got selected to be on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee as a non-federal member. 

Excited at the opportunity to contribute towards lot of meaningful changes.

 

I got mentioned in a Time mag article and more

 

TIME Magazine (Sarah Kurchak), February 25, 2021

https://time.com/5942094/sia-music-disability-representation/?fbclid=IwAR2_vIUk9XFVF2Kt2AKlCUQ3KSIpIiPWZx-uKipLGWq18SOtOZksuIWVVYA

• ("In the interest of fairness, I did watch Music for the sake of this piece. I won’t evaluate it as representation, as I believe that non-speaking autistic people should be leading that conversation. (For more on the topic, I recommend starting with the short film produced by CommunicationFIRST and the essays by Mickayla and Hari Srinivasan.)")

The Independent (Helen Brown), February 25, 2021

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/sia-music-film-autism-maddie-ziegler-b1806871.html?fbclid=IwAR0ieF3bTTzDKilAQvAM254Hlzyg2qvIW_7x0tVV7rORboP7VJal1rQNtCI#comments-area

•  As the film’s final contributor, Hari Srinivasan, concludes: 'If you have a voice, you can use it to help bring dignity back for the members of the more marginalized autistics.' He says that we need to change the narrative around non-speaking autistics and improve visibility in society – and pop culture – so that more actors who might better fill a role like Music in Sia’s film can come to the fore and be seen, and I agree. It’s only those tired old stereotypes that deserve to be crushed.")

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Gloria Macarenko), February 18, 2021

• (non-transcripted radio clip) ("One of the big organizations, I believe they are called CommunicationFIRST, ... and they were completely ignored [by Sia]. ... That type of false promise is so damaging for trust in terms of a disability community or a minority community against a majority voice that is trying to talk over us." "As autistic AAC users like Cal Mongtomery, Damon Kirsebom, and Hari Srinivasan said in the film LISTEN, which was made in response to Sia's film, 'Ask nonspeaking autistics. Listen to nonspeaking autistics.'")

https://cute766.info/disability-visibility-project-montage/

Female Protective Effect in Autism

The "female protective effect" hypothesis in autism suggests that females have a biological or genetic protection against developing autism. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that autism is more commonly diagnosed in males than in females, with a widely reported ratio of approximately 4 males for every 1 female diagnosed with autism. While exact mechanisms behind this protective effect are still being studied, there are several theories, including genetic, hormonal, and neuroanatomical differences between males and females.

One significant area of research focuses on the role of genetic differences, particularly those related to the X chromosome. Because females have two X chromosomes (XX) while males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY), it's theorized that the presence of an additional X chromosome in females may offer some protection against the development of autism. Here's how the mechanism is thought to work:

• X-Chromosome Inactivation: In females, one of the X chromosomes in each cell is randomly inactivated, which means that it does not express its genes. This process could potentially mitigate the impact of harmful mutations on the X chromosome, as there is a chance the mutated gene is on the inactivated X chromosome.
• Genetic Buffering: The presence of two X chromosomes in females provides a "genetic buffer" against mutations. If a gene related to autism is mutated on one X chromosome, the other X chromosome may carry a normal copy of the gene that can compensate for the mutation. In contrast, males, with only one X chromosome, do not have this potential buffering, making them more susceptible to the effects of mutations on the X chromosome.
• Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs): Research has identified certain SNPs that are associated with an increased risk of autism. Some of these SNPs are located on the X chromosome. The female protective effect could be related to how these SNPs are expressed or compensated for in females compared to males.

It's important to note that while the X chromosome and the mechanisms mentioned above play a role, autism is a complex disorder influenced by multiple genes across various chromosomes, as well as environmental factors. The female protective effect is just one possible explanation in understanding the gender disparity in autism diagnoses.

References

"Sex differences in autism spectrum disorder: evidence from a large sample of children and adolescents" by Loomes R, Hull L, Mandy WPL. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2017) 
"The female protective effect in autism spectrum disorder is not mediated by a single genetic locus" by Werling DM, Geschwind DH. (Molecular Autism, 2015) 

Spectrum At Cal Spring 2021

 

Reflections on Societal Stereotyping

So I had a veg La Ratatouille dish for lunch yesterday.

I've been curious about this dish ever since the Pixar movie from childhood. As I was munching, in my mind there was this imaginary "rat"-atouille in the corner of the table, hopping nervously on one foot and anxiously waiting to see if I (the food critic) like the dish. I wanted to assure "Rat"-atouille that the dish was as wholesome as imagined.

The movie had really caught my imagination as a child. There was this rat trying to overturn societal stereotypes as an outcast, a scavenger of society, someone to be avoided. It moves towards being recognized for its talent and the total opposite of societal perceptions.

The food critic being society that is so judgmental of disability or other marginalized groups. A part of us still anxiously waits for approval at every step though that should not be the case.

Another Birthday Rolls By

Many moons ago, I was 5 months.

Now, another birthday just rolls on by. 

Enjoyed a veg La Ratatouille for birthday lunch with family at a French Restaurant in Berkeley. Been curious about this dish ever since the Pixar movie.

Got a lot of wishes on FB/ IG & Twitter

What really made my day was this Card from the Spectrum Board. 

This is what Belonging starts to look like

Wanted to share this card that my peers (neurotypical & autistic) at Spectrum at Cal made for me for my birthday . What I really appreciated was that it was an acknowledgement of care from my peers who put in time and effort (instead of a facebook like) to organize and bring together this multi page card with thoughtful messages. That they cared enough to do that was just so so unexpected and deeply touching. I just loved it. Really the best bday card I have ever received.

This is what "Belonging" starts to look like!!