Propananol

Propanaol has come up in lectures in my Cell Neuroscience course this sem. Of personal interest to me, as its use has become prevalent in the autism population. My last set of docs at Stanford said they preferred its use as it has less side effects compared to other drugs.  I have mixed feelings about it effectiveness in my case but I've heard its helping a number of other autistics.

The use of Propranolol (brand names - Inderal, Hemangeol, & InnoPran XL) in autism is actually off-label as some research has suggested that propranolol may be helpful with anxiety, social withdrawal and repetitive behaviors. More research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness in autism.

Some common side effects of propranolol include fatigue, dizziness, cold hands and feet, slow heartbeat, and trouble sleeping. More serious side effects include wheezing, depression, and liver problems.

One concerning side effect is memory impairment. So I have to wonder about its long term impact as we age, as many autistics are on it for many years and years. Are we looking at short term gains and compromising our long term health compounding health issues that already accompany old age. 

Empathy is the antidote to judgement

Towards a more Humane Society. Contemplation, one line a day. This month Empathy

 

ASA Press Release

https://autismsociety.org/press-release-autism-society-of-america-is-calling-on-congress-to-address-national-issues-facing-the-autism-community/

 I get quoted in this press release.

The Autism Society of America is taking direct action at a national level on multiple priority issues that impact Autistic individuals. In particular, the organization is highlighting the importance of passing legislation that provides additional funding for home and community-based services (HCBS) and addressing employment disparities. This includes the Better Care Better Jobs Act and the HCBS Access Act.

“The current system of supports and services are set up such that there can be a sudden stop in services for the most absurd of reasons. Such policies need to change,” states Hari Srinivasan, an Autistic student at Vanderbilt, and member of the Autism Society’s Council of Autistic Advisors. “I find myself in this strange situation where the PhD stipend makes me ineligible for SSI, which in turn is linked to all state-funded disability supports and disability health insurance that I have relied on all my life. My significant Autism challenges and required supports, did not magically go away in graduate school. It is like a financial penalty on the disabled person to want to aspire for higher education and the pursuit of the American Dream.”

I want to relate this back to what the late Judy Heumann said in her 2019 interview with me for the Daily Cal [post on unedited longer interview], [Daily Cal article]

"There is currently a huge legislative disincentive for people with more significant disabilities who depend on services — such as Medi-Cal health insurance, Social Security and personal attendant services — from being productively employed. She does not want to hear stories similar to that of her friend who had to turn down a job she was well qualified for because of the fear of losing these crucial services. She would also like to see legislative policy changes so that employers see disability as just another diversity category." - Daily Cal 11/26/19

Empathy is the fuel that powers kindness

Towards a more Humane Society. Contemplation, one line a day. This month Empathy

 

Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates

Benzodiazepines

In class today, we studied pharmacology of GABA-A receptors, specifically Benzodiazepine's. Of personal interest as I've been on lorazepam (fast acting for agitation, mood swings) and clonazepam (longer lasting). Unfortunately the body develops a tolerance and these don't work anymore.

Nashville next stop in Senseless School Shootings

This time a young white 28 year old female ex-student, walked into an elementary school with assault weapons and just shot 6 people, 3 staff and 3 kids aged 8-9. What a horrible tragedy.   

Why is the US the ONLY country in the world where young kids are getting shot in their own schools every few months? That too with assault weapons. 

This does not make sense. I wonder at the need to even own assault weapons when you live in a city. A gun makes remote sense maybe if you were living in the midst of the woods with a grizzly bear or packs or wolves on the loose. 

Just last week our professor had mentioned how suicide rates dramatically increased amongst women who's partner/boyfriend owned a gun. Why is there such an obsessive need to hand out guns to just about anyone so easily in this country. 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, located just 4 miles from the school was where all the children were sent - already dead on arrival. How does a hospital emotionally prep for "emergencies" like this?

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/03/31/1167375561/nashville-school-shooting-vanderbilt-hospital

Empathy creates the space for true connection to happen

Towards a more Humane Society. Contemplation, one line a day. This month Empathy

 

Brain Blast

 Every spring, the Vanderbilt Brain Institute puts on Brain Blast event at Nashville Public Library for high schoolers and younger children, with various booths educating children on the wonders of the brain in fun and creative ways. Oh and the screen in the background was showing various images, including some things about autism and neurodiversity. 

Happy 150th Birthday, Vanderbilt

Vandy turned 150. Happy Birthday

Slow Burn

Usually you get to see the Cal-Stanford rivalry during the Big Game every year!

Stanford-Burn in the Night Agent series... Too funny, 

Larkin: "I thought I could read my way to Stanford."

Sutherland: "...you went to Stanford?"

Larkin: "No. Those bastards rejected me. I went to a community college then transferred to Berkeley. When I started my company I hired a bunch of Stanford grads to grab me coffee."

 

ASEBA - Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment

Autism Lexicon [Measures] - ASEBA

 

ASEBA (Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment) measures are used in assessing various behavioral and emotional functioning in children and adolescents. While ASEBA is not specific to autism, it is used to information about co-occurring behavioral and emotional difficulties and help tailor interventions.

Limitations of the ASEBA measures:

• Subjectivity of  reports from informants (parents, teachers, and individuals themselves) which may be influenced by various factors, such as observer bias or cultural differences, which can affect the accuracy and reliability of the results.
• Limited focus on autism-specific symptoms: While ASEBA measures capture a wide range of behavioral and emotional problems, they may not fully capture the unique characteristics and challenges associated specifically with autism
• Lack of developmental context as the ASEBA measures provide a snapshot of an individual's behavior at a specific point in time.

ASEBA includes several sub-measures that target different informants and settings:

1. Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): This is a parent-report measure that assesses a wide range of behavioral and emotional problems in children and adolescents. It consists of a set of items that capture different domains, such as externalizing problems (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity) and internalizing problems (e.g., anxiety, depression). The CBCL is widely used in both clinical and research settings.
2. Teacher's Report Form (TRF): The TRF is a teacher-report measure that assesses children's behavior in the school setting. It focuses on externalizing and internalizing problems as observed by teachers.
3. Youth Self-Report (YSR): The YSR is a self-report measure designed for older children and adolescents to assess their own behavioral and emotional functioning. It allows individuals to provide their perspectives on their own experiences and emotions.

Scoring and interpretation of ASEBA measures involve comparing an individual's responses to established norms for their age and gender. The measures generate raw scores, which are then converted into standardized scores (T-scores) to compare the individual's behavior to a normative sample. Higher scores indicate greater problems or concerns in the assessed domains.

ASEBA dates back to the 1960s when it was first developed by Dr. Thomas M. Achenbach and has since undergone revisions and updates to enhance its psychometric properties and clinical utility.

Empathy is the ability to hear the unspoken and see the unseen

Towards a more Humane Society. Contemplation, one line a day. This month Empathy

 

CRH-PVN Neuron and Stress Controllability Presentation

I survived it. 

OMG. lot of work went into this intense presentation the last couple of weeks with my classmate James. 

And right after our 50 min presentation, we were given feedback from the 3 TAs (Patrick, Matt & Elena) and by the Prof Teru Nakagawa and Prof Christine Konradi. Other students are literally sent out of the room, so that we could be given individual feedback from the grading team. I got to go first then James. 

Presenting with passion, nerves not intact,
Paper on CRH-PVN neurons stacked.
The audience watched, with eyes on me,
My words and slides, a neuroscience spree