"It was a thought provoking read about an angle that I hadn’t thought of. It is also beautifully written."
https://time.com/6551520/loneliness-autism-essay/
"It was a thought provoking read about an angle that I hadn’t thought of. It is also beautifully written."
https://time.com/6551520/loneliness-autism-essay/
PlainSpeak Plain Language Version for the Lay Reader
Our brains constantly change how neurons (nerve cells) communicate to help us learn and remember things. Some of these changes happen very quickly and are known as short-term synaptic plasticity. This is when the connection strength between two neurons changes for a few seconds to a few minutes. Two important types of these changes are paired pulse facilitation (PPF) and paired pulse depression (PPD).
Paired Pulse Facilitation (PPF) happens when two signals arrive close together at a neuron connection, and the second signal is stronger than the first. This is because the first signal leaves behind some calcium, which helps release more chemical messengers for the second signal, making it stronger.
Paired Pulse Depression (PPD) is the opposite. When two signals come close together, the second signal is weaker. This happens because the first signal uses up most of the available chemical messengers, leaving fewer for the second signal.
These short-term changes are important for how our brains process information. In autism, scientists have found that these changes can be different. For example, certain gene mutations linked to autism can affect how well these short-term changes work. Some of these genes, like SYN1 and SYN2, help control the availability of chemical messengers at neuron connections. Mutations in these genes can lead to an imbalance in brain activity, making some signals too strong and others too weak (Frontiers, 2015) (Frontiers).
Other studies have shown that mutations in another gene, neuroligin-3, which is also linked to autism, can change how neurons communicate in different parts of the brain. These mutations can increase the strength of certain signals and disrupt the balance of brain activity (Molecular Psychiatry, 2015) (Nature). This imbalance can contribute to some of the behaviors seen in autism.
Understanding these short-term brain changes helps scientists learn more about how autism affects the brain and can lead to new ways to help people with autism.
2 versions of this post
For the Academic/Scientific Audience
PlainSpeak in plain language for the lay reader
Sometimes I have to wonder about how inclusive the term neurodiverse itself is.
For example there is an assumption that "to disclose or not to disclose" is a problem for every ND person in higher ed or employment.
Autism Lexicon: Diagnostic Overshadowing
Diagnostic overshadowing in autism occurs when the symptoms and behaviors associated with autism obscure or overshadow the presence of other mental or physical health conditions. This can lead to misdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, or delayed diagnosis of other conditions, ultimately impacting the individual's overall care and treatment outcomes.
PlainSpeak: Diagnostic overshadowing in autism is when doctors focus too much on autism and miss other health problems because they think it must be all because of autism.
DREDF gets a new captain.
Two press releases
Announcing Nicole's hiring at DREDF
LTP and LTD are critical forms of long term synaptic plasticity that underlie learning and memory. These processes are governed by Hebbian plasticity, a principle summarized as "cells that fire together, wire together." This means that the synaptic strength between two neurons increases when they are frequently active together (LTP), and decreases when they are less synchronized (LTD).
Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP), a form of Hebbian plasticity, emphasizes the precise timing of neuronal spikes:
Research has revealed substantial alterations in LTP, LTD, and Hebbian plasticity in autism, providing insights into the neural mechanisms that contribute to autism’s cognitive and behavioral characteristics
Hippocampal Dysfunction:
Cerebellar Abnormalities:
Genetic Factors:
Neuromodulators:
2 versions of this post
PlainSpeak. Plain Language for the Lay Reader
For the Academic/Scientific Audience
References:
What is it?
The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) is a tool primarily used for quantitative measurement of autism symptoms in the general population, including individuals who do not have a clinical autism diagnosis.