Chilling on a houseboat

 

This is where I would like to be today on my birthday. 

Chilling on a houseboat in the Kerala backwaters

(photo taken a few years back)

Chilling on a houseboat in Kerala's backwaters
Coconut trees sway along the shore
The sun dips low, painting the sky with colors
A serene moment, that I'll forever adore.

A moment of peace

Two deer in my yard

Wandering from woods at the back 

Gentle, graceful steps 

Moment of peace, nature's gift

The gentle creatures graze

Unfazed by noise and haste

Their presence brings me ease

In this tranquil, natural space.

And Thank You to everyone who sent me wishes today (Feb 22) - for taking that one breath and one moment to send "happy" positive vibes my way, on my birthday.

Equanimity is the inner peace that radiates outwards

Towards a more humane society. #MentalHealth. Contemplation, one line a day.

 

Hints of green

On brown trees, hints of green 

A herald of spring
Softly appears, shy and demure,
A promise of new life, fresh and pure

The brain is a Giant Prediction Machine

Poem follows Prof Mark Wallace's comment in class "The Brain is a giant prediction machine" after a discussion on the growing popularity of Bayesian Statistical Models in research. 

The brain is a giant prediction machine

Bayesian model-like, it constantly schemes

Past experiences and memories in its grasp

Current sensory input, processed in a flash.

 

A bundle of irrational worry

I am a bundle of irrational worry
Each day i wake up with dread and hurry
Fears and doubts consume, a constant flurry
Hope still flickers in internal jury

STAT: Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children

The Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT) is a play-based screening measure designed to identify early signs of autism  in toddlers and young children. It t assesses social communication and play behaviors associated with ASD in children between 24 and 36 months of age.

Limitations

The STAT is a screening tool and not a diagnostic instrument. A comprehensive evaluation by a qualified professional is necessary for a definitive autism diagnosis.

Scoring and Interpretation
The STAT includes a series of play-based activities and social interactions between the child and the examiner. The examiner observes and scores the child's behaviors in different domains, such as joint attention, pretend play, and social responsiveness.

The STAT scoring involves rating specific behaviors observed during the play-based interactions. The scoring criteria may vary depending on the specific version or adaptation of the STAT being used. There are established cutoff scores that help identify children who may be at risk for ASD and require further evaluation by a qualified professional.

History and Revisions:
The STAT was developed by Wendy Stone, Barry L. Prizant, and Samuel P. Openden in 2008. 

Citation:
Stone, W. L., Prizant, B. M., & Openden, S. (2008). The Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228625486_STAT_Screening_Tool_for_Autism_in_Toddlers_and_Young_Children

See posts on Screening/Diagnostic Measures

WISC - Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

Lexicon [Measures] - WISC

WISC-V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) is an IQ test used in children (age 6-16 yrs 11 mo) and takes approximately 60-85 minutes. It was developed by David Wechsler (5th Ed 2014).

Limitations wrt Autism
Autistic children may have specific challenges related to social communication, sensory sensitivities, and executive functioning, which can impact their performance on certain subtests. [Also see post on Why IQ Testing especially problematic in the Autistic Population]

WISC has 10 Subtests that fall under 5 index score categories

1. Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI): 
• Similarities: verbal reasoning and concept formation by assessing the ability to identify how two words or concepts are similar.
• Vocab: language development and word knowledge by asking the child to define or explain the meaning of various words
• Information: general knowledge and comprehension of factual information by asking questions about a wide range of topics.
2. Visual Spatial Index (VSI)
• Block Design: Assesses spatial perception, visual-motor integration, and problem-solving abilities through block imitation
3. Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI): 
• Matrix Reasoning: nonverbal reasoning & fluid intelligence by asking child to identify patterns and complete visual matrices. 
• Picture Concepts 

• Picture Concepts: analyze visual stimuli, recognize relationships, and form abstract concepts by asking the child to identify common features and group pictures based on concepts.

4. Working Memory Index (WMI): 
• Digit Span: attention and working memory through ability to repeat a series of digits forwards and backward.
• Picture Span: working memory through recall of sequence of pictures in correct order
5. Processing Speed Index (PSI)
• Coding: measure visual-motor speed and attention by child copying symbols paired with numbers within a specified time limit
• Symbol Search: visual scanning and processing speed by asking the child to identify target symbols within a specified time limit.

Scoring and Interpretation

Index scores are derived from specific combinations of subtests and provide an overall assessment of an child's cognitive strengths and weaknesses in those domains.

The Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) is the combination of the index scores. It represents overall intellectual functioning and is calculated based on the combined performance across all subtests.

Interpretation involves comparing an individual's performance to normative data (percentile ranks, confidence intervals, and descriptive categories), considering the person's age and the index and subtest scores obtained. 

Citation

Wechsler, D. (2014). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V). San Antonio, TX: Pearson.

Feb 17 is Random Act of Kindness Day

 Saw this on Canva. Did not know that there was a day. But a good thought nonetheless. 

Loneliness

The room is empty

Loneliness creeps in slowly
Empty walls surround

Silence echoes all around

DNA Repair

Pollina et al. 2023 
The paper describes a new method called sBLISS-seq for identifying DNA damage sites in cells. The authors used this method to study the role of a protein called Ep400 in repairing DNA damage.

The paper suggests that the link between neuronal activity and DNA repair mediated by NPAS4-NuA4 may be relevant to NDD like autism. This is because damage at activity-dependent regulatory elements may be a source of neuronal dysfunction in these disabilities.

Key Takeaways & Contributions.

- Discovery of a specialized chromatin regulatory mechanism in the brain that couples synaptic activity to genome preservation. 

- Identification of a link between neuronal activity and DNA repair mediated by NPAS4-NuA4, which suggests that damage at activity-dependent regulatory elements may be a source of neuronal dysfunction in NDD and autism . 

- Potential role of NPAS4-NuA4 in sustaining neuronal vitality over time and contributing to cellular and organismal longevity. 

- Development of a new method called sBLISS-seq for identifying DNA damage sites in cells

Methods

• The development of a new method called sBLISS-seq for identifying DNA damage sites in cells. 
• The use of 
• chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) to study the binding of proteins to DNA. 
• CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to create knockout cell lines. 
• RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to study gene expression. 
• immunofluorescence to study protein localization in cells. 
• comet assays to measure DNA damage.

Questions raised

• What is the full extent of the role of NPAS4-NuA4 in sustaining neuronal vitality over time and contributing to cellular and organismal longevity? 
• How does the link between neuronal activity and DNA repair mediated by NPAS4
• NuA4 contribute to NDD & autism, and can this mechanism be targeted for therapeutic purposes?  
• What other proteins and pathways are involved in the regulation of DNA repair in response to neuronal activity, and how do they interact with NPAS4-NuA4? 
• How can the sBLISS-seq method be further optimized and applied to other cell types and experimental conditions? 
• Findings implications in understanding relationship between neuronal activity and genome preservation in the brain?

Haikus for the love of spring

  Its feb 14 and spring is upon us. I see flowers bloom on my neighbor's tree. 

In the midst of bloom, 

Petals entwine, a sweet embrace, 

Love's essence inhaled.

TBI Regressive Autism

Ameliorating Hemianopia with Multisensory Training (Rowland et al., 2023)

Quick Summary of paper . An  visual-auditory stimulation therapy was used on two older males  who has loss of vision in the left hemifield (hemianopia). The cause was brain trauma (TBI) rather than lesion.  Prior to joining the study both had been referred to PT and OT as rehabilitation measures. 

• 64 year old JM joined the study 14 months after stroke  (2 infracts)
• 74 year old CW joined the study ~18 months after 1 infract (better sighted field compared to JM). 
• Therapy took place over 8 months /10 sessions 

The results were dramatic. Both patients recovered the ability to detect and describe visual stimuli throughout their formerly blind field within a few weeks. They could also localize these stimuli, identify some features, and perceive multiple visuals simultaneously in both fields. (more detail on paper here link)

Relating all this back to Autism

So impressive about being able to restore sight in a matter of 8 months, given therapy was started 14-18 months after infract and not immediately and it was in older adults. 

Why is regressive autism not thought to be TBI at 18 mo, where there is a sudden loss of learned skills. 

• If TBI --> can those lost skills not be regained through targeted therapy. If you can restore skills in 60-70 yr old, should be able to, in a younger more plastic brain. 
• If TBI -->  is this related to CW & JM having practice with vision for 60-70+ years vs toddlers who only have practice with the skills for 18 mo.

Rethink Traditional Therapies

• CW & JM  had PT/OT for 14-18 mo before joining study; implication these therapies not that useful for regaining lost skills. 
• Autistics kids are in insane amounts of therapy (childhood stuffed with ABA/speech/OT every waking hr with little advances to show for it other than the $$$ spent and lots of career advancement for therapists). 
•  Maybe we need rethink early childhood therapy to be more targeted to restore lost skills. Even regaining that level of lost skills improves quality of life, let alone moving beyond.