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.
Compassion is the light that shines in the eyes of those who care
Towards a more Humane Society. Contemplating an emotion, 1 line a day.
Our divided and conflicted world needs compassion more than ever. #MentalHealth.
Egocentric spatiotemporal perception
Concepts in Sensorimotor Research.
It is a fundamental aspect of self-consciousness and scaffolds our subjective experience of being present, in the here and now, which is vital for our survival and wellbeing.
Alterations may lead to feelings of self-detachment, self-fragmentation, and body and world alienation.
Disability in Strength
A new mural titled “Disability is Strength, at Oakland Airport honors visionaries who helped
build the movement for disability rights and independence, and present a vision for a future of full inclusion, rights and justice.The mural features disability rights pioneers Ed Roberts, Judith Heumann and Brad Lomax.
Judy Heumann, one of the great and recently deceased disability rights early advocates once said, "Independent Living isn't doing everything by yourself – it's being in control of how things are done."
Compassion is the key that unlocks the door to forgiveness
Towards a more Humane Society. Contemplating an emotion, 1 line a day.
Our divided and conflicted world needs compassion more than ever. #MentalHealth.
Depersonalization and Autism
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)
- 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)
PD Soros Fall Conference
I went in with a lot of anxiety last year and ended up having a lot of fun.
Looking forward to this year's event in Manhattan, NY on Oct 19-22
Compassion is the thread that weaves the fabric of society
Towards a more Humane Society. Contemplating an emotion, 1 line a day.
Our divided and conflicted world needs compassion more than ever. #MentalHealth.
What is Depersonalization Disorder
In Plain Language Version for Lay Reader
What is Depersonalization Disorder (DPD)?
Depersonalization Disorder (DPD) is a condition where people feel disconnected from their own body, self, and surroundings. This might feel like being "spaced out," watching yourself from a distance, or not feeling in control of your own actions. People with DPD may also have strange experiences with their senses and a warped sense of time, like feeling that time is moving slower than it really is.
Time Perception in DPD
- Distorted Time: People with DPD often feel that time moves slower, making them overestimate how long things take. This can add to their feeling of being detached.
- Brain Differences: Brain scans show that people with DPD have different brain activity in areas that process time, like the prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex.
- Attention Issues: People with DPD may have trouble focusing their attention, which makes it hard for them to accurately sense time.
- Emotional Impact: High anxiety and stress can change how people with DPD perceive time, making it feel even more distorted.
Why DPD May Happen Alongside Autism
- Sensory Processing: Both DPD and autism involve unusual ways of processing sensory information, suggesting a possible link.
- Similar Symptoms: While DPD and autism are different, they share some symptoms, like feeling detached from oneself and having trouble with emotions and social situations.
- Brain Function: Both conditions may involve changes in brain function and connectivity, although the specific details differ.
- Impact on Daily Life: Having both DPD and autism can make everyday tasks, social interactions, and emotional well-being more challenging.
Research Findings
- Prevalence: About 17% of autistic people have DPD, compared to 2% of non-autistic people.
- Additional Challenges: Autistic people with DPD are more likely to experience higher anxiety and depression, more difficulty with social interaction and communication, and more repetitive behaviors and special interests.
- Need for More Research: Understanding the connection between autism and DPD is complex, and more research is needed to uncover the full picture.
Self Referencing and Self Projecting
[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]
- Self-Referencing: general capacity of using one's own position in time to estimate/situate events in time. This skill relies on internal cues such as memory and self-awareness to place events within a temporal framework. By referencing our own experiences and the temporal context in which they occurred, we can make sense of the timing and sequence of events in our environment.
- Self-Projecting: ability to mentally move back and forward in time, maintaining the competence of correctly situating events in time. This skill allows us to anticipate future events, plan our actions, and make decisions based on the temporal context. Self-projecting skill involves mental time travel, where we can mentally simulate and project ourselves into different points in time, drawing upon past experiences and knowledge to predict and shape future events.
Both self-referencing and self-projecting skills are closely intertwined with our sensory experiences. Our senses provide us with temporal information through various cues. For example, visual stimuli provide temporal cues through motion and changes in spatial patterns, while auditory stimuli provide temporal cues through changes in pitch, intensity, and rhythm. By integrating these sensory cues with our self-referencing and self-projecting abilities, we can accurately perceive and situate events in time.
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."
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