Neurotransmitters Flow in this Autism Mind

Embracing Kuleana - Our Collective Responsibility Towards Autism

(Jun 21, 2024 is Native Indigenous People's day)

In the Hawaiian language, the word "kuleana" embodies a profound concept, combining responsibility and privilege. "Kuleana finds you if you are open to it." (1). This notion can be extended to our approach toward autism, It is our kuleana—our responsibility and privilege—to ensure that the needs of all autistic individuals are met with empathy and understanding, including the needs of the most marginalized autistics.

This sense of kuleana aligns with the wisdom of the late legendary disability rights activist Judy Heumann, who reminded us that "disability only becomes a tragedy when society fails to provide the things needed to lead one's daily life."

Society has a crucial role in dismantling barriers and fostering a world where all individuals, regardless of their abilities, can live fulfilling lives. It means advocating for accessible education, healthcare and medical solutions, housing, care services, employment opportunities, and social inclusion. Embracing our kuleana towards the autism community is about more than just providing resources; it's about fostering an approach that looks at both strengths-based opportunities and challenges-based solutions.

By being open to kuleana, we create a more inclusive world.

- Hari S

(1) Aulani Wilhelm is the Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer at Nia Tero, an organization dedicated to working in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples. The quote is taken from a May 30, 2024 webinar. Celebrating Conservation, Ocean Justice, and Climate Leadership in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Community.

Academic Psychiatry Day 2024

Presenting my autism research poster at Academic Psychiatry Day event.

Very happy at how I was able to handle myself. The room gets pretty crowded during the event (which can be overwhelming) and there are numerous people crowded around your poster. And you are expected to be by your poster the entire time.

Alexithymia

Auti Lexicon: Alexithymia

Alexithymia is characterized by difficulty in recognizing and expressing one's emotional experiences. It means having trouble recognizing and describing your own emotions. People with alexithymia often can't tell what they are feeling and find it hard to explain their emotions to others. This can make it difficult to connect with others and share feelings.

Disability is both a cause and consequence of poverty

"Disability is both a cause and consequence of poverty.

We're more that 2x likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people"

Disability and poverty are intrinsically linked, creating a vicious cycle that exacerbates the challenges faced by the disabled. This disparity stems from systemic barriers in education, employment, and healthcare. Disabled individuals often encounter limited job opportunities, workplace discrimination, and inadequate support services, significantly hindering their ability to secure stable and well-paying employment. According to the National Council on Disability, these employment challenges contribute heavily to the higher poverty rates among disabled individuals (National Council on Disability, 2017). The lack of accessible education further compounds this issue, as it restricts the skill development necessary for competitive employment.

Moreover, poverty can lead to or worsen disability, creating a continuous loop of disadvantage. Individuals living in poverty often have limited access to healthcare, resulting in untreated medical conditions that can lead to further disability. The financial strain associated with poverty can prevent people from obtaining necessary assistive devices or modifications, further diminishing their quality of life and ability to participate fully in society. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that this cyclical relationship underscores the need for comprehensive policies and programs that address both poverty alleviation and disability inclusion simultaneously (WHO, 2011). Breaking this cycle requires concerted efforts to create inclusive educational and employment opportunities, enhance social support systems, and ensure equitable access to healthcare and other essential services for disabled people. Investing in these areas not only improves the lives of disabled individuals but also fosters a more inclusive and equitable society, reducing overall poverty and promoting economic stability.

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A plain language version

Disability and Poverty: A Tough Cycle

Disability and poverty are closely connected. This makes life harder for disabled people. Here’s why:

Education: Many disabled people don’t get a good education. This makes it hard for them to learn skills needed for good jobs.
Jobs: Disabled people often face problems finding jobs. There aren’t enough job opportunities, and some employers discriminate against them. Without good jobs, it’s hard to earn enough money.
Healthcare: Poor people often can’t afford good healthcare. This can lead to untreated health problems that cause or worsen disabilities.
Support Services: Disabled people need special support, like assistive devices or home modifications, but these can be expensive. Without money, they can’t get the help they need.

The National Council on Disability says that these problems make more disabled people live in poverty. The World Health Organization also says that we need to solve both poverty and disability issues together.

To break this cycle, we need to:

Provide better education for disabled people.
Create more job opportunities and stop workplace discrimination.
Offer better social support services.
Make healthcare and housing affordable and accessible for everyone.

When we invest in these areas, we help disabled people live better lives. This also helps reduce poverty and builds a stronger, fairer society for everyone.

2 versions of this post

In PlainSpeak Plain Language for Lay Reader

For Scientific/Academic Audience

An Immigrant angle to Autism Grief

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/giving-voice/202402/the-spectrum-of-loss-grief-through-the-autistic-lens

NSFGRPF in the News

Been 2 months since award. But still good to see article.

https://www.miragenews.com/34-vanderbilt-students-alumni-earn-2024-nsf-1257672/

A total of 34 Vanderbilt University alumni, students and incoming students have been named National Science Foundation graduate research fellows for 2024.

The prestigious fellowship program assists exceptional graduate students pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees across various fields, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, STEM education and social sciences supported by NSF. Since its inception in 1952, the NSF GRFP has been a cornerstone of support for graduate students, providing financial aid through a $37,000 annual stipend and a $16,000 allowance for educational expenses, along with opportunities for professional growth and international research endeavors.

Vanderbilt's 2024 NSF GRFP Scholars:

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Hari Srinivasan, Class of 2027, life sciences - neurosciences

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The rigorous application process demands thoroughness and collaboration with students' advisors, as students craft persuasive personal statements and research proposals. For the 2024 cycle, there were 2,037 fellowship offers in total, which is 518 less than the 2023 cycle. Additionally, in the 2024 cycle there were 1716 honorable mentions, 915 more than in the 2023 cycle.

Poster Presentation at IMRF

My research poster at IMRF Conference 2024, Reno, NV

Weak Central Coherence Theory

PlainSpeak for the Lay Reader

Caveat: There is no single theory that can fully explain autism.

Weak Central Coherence Theory

Definition: The Weak Central Coherence Theory suggests that autistics tend to focus more on details rather than the overall picture. This affects how they see and understand the world around them.

The Weak Central Coherence Theory tries to explain why autistics often excel at noticing details but might struggle with seeing the bigger picture. This unique way of thinking brings both strengths and challenges, affecting everyday tasks, social interactions, and work or hobbies.

Key Concepts

Detail-Focused Thinking:
- What It Means: Autistics are often really good at noticing small details that others might miss.
- Why It Happens: Their brains are wired in a way that makes them pay extra attention to these details.
Difficulty Seeing the Big Picture:
- What It Means: It can be harder for autistics to combine these details into a complete, overall understanding of a situation.
- Why It Happens: The connections in their brains might not work as smoothly to bring all the details together into one big picture.

Examples and Implications

Everyday Tasks:
- Strengths: They might be great at tasks that need attention to detail, like solving puzzles or spotting differences in pictures.
- Challenges: They might find it harder to understand tasks that need seeing the whole picture, like following a story with lots of characters and events.
Social Situations:
- Challenges: In social settings, understanding body language or implied meanings in conversations can be tough because these require seeing the whole context, not just individual parts.
Work and Hobbies:
- Strengths: Jobs or hobbies that require careful attention to detail, like coding or building models, can be areas where they excel.
- Challenges: Roles that need quick understanding of complex, big-picture concepts might be more difficult.

Two Versions of this post
For the Academic/Scientific Audience
PlainSpeak Plain Language for the Lay Reader

Intersectional Lived Experiences

The recording of the AANHPNI webinar is at this link: https://ow.ly/Q8Te50S86jh

I'm grateful for opportunities to listen to diverse and intersectional lived experiences from Autistic leaders. Dennis Tran and Hari Srinivasan - thank you for your advocacy and service to the Autism Society of America! TheConnectionIsYou!

Uncertainty and Autism - A Quantum Perspective

The uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics, introduced by Werner Heisenberg in 1927, teaches us that we cannot simultaneously know both the exact position and momentum of a particle. This concept revolutionized our understanding of the physical world, highlighting the inherent unpredictability in nature. Interestingly, it also offers a useful metaphor for understanding autism.

Complexity and Variability: Embracing the Uncertainty

Autism, like the quantum world, is complex and resists rigid categorization. Autistics experience and interact with the world in diverse ways, challenging traditional views. Understanding autism requires recognizing both strengths and challenges, and embracing the uniqueness of each individual while remaining aware of the real difficulties they may face.

Probabilistic Understanding: Flexibility in Approach

The uncertainty principle leads to a probabilistic approach in quantum mechanics, and similarly, supporting autistic individuals effectively requires flexibility. This means balancing strengths-based opportunities that highlight unique abilities with challenges-based solutions that address difficulties like communication barriers or sensory sensitivities or underlying medical issues. Acknowledging this diversity fosters better understanding and support.

Challenging Classical Conceptions: Embracing the Full Spectrum of Autism

Just as the uncertainty principle challenged classical physics, a more inclusive understanding of autism challenges traditional perspectives. Embracing the full spectrum of autism means valuing all individuals, including those who require significant support, and recognizing that their experiences contribute to the richness of our shared human experience. It also involves assuming capability, even when it might not be immediately apparent, and respecting each person’s potential. However, it also means being realistic about the challenges these individuals face and working to provide the necessary support to help them thrive through challenges-based solutions.

Technological and Methodological Advances: Innovation Inspired by Autism

The uncertainty principle spurred technological breakthroughs, and similarly, a balanced understanding of autism can inspire innovations in support strategies. These advancements should harness strengths-based opportunities while also addressing challenges to ensure all autistics have the tools they need to thrive.

Broader Implications for Reality: Rethinking Normalcy

The uncertainty principle reshaped our understanding of reality, and embracing the full spectrum of autism challenges assumptions about what is "normal." By addressing challenges with challenges-based solutions and valuing contributions through strengths-based opportunities, we can build a more inclusive and understanding society.

The Mental Health Toll of Loneliness

https://time.com/6551520/loneliness-autism-essay/

The PV Hypothesis of Autism

The Parvalbumin (PV) hypothesis of autism suggests that dysfunction in PV-expressing interneurons leads to an imbalance in excitation and inhibition, contributing to core features of autism such as sensory hypersensitivity and seizures. [Read in more detail For the Science/Academic Reader]

Layspeak: The PV hypothesis of autism proposes that problems with specific brain cells called PV neurons cause an imbalance in brain signals, leading to common autism traits like sensitivity to sensory inputs and a higher chance of seizures. [Read in more Detail PlainSpeak for the Lay Reader]

Read in More Detail

PlainSpeak for the Lay Reader

For the Science/Academic Reader

A short definition