Breaking Free from Popular Opinion
Opinions can guide us gently like a tranquil sea or be as destructive as a tsunami. Our ability to discriminate between beneficial and harmful opinions is crucial. By staying open to new possibilities instead of blindly following popular opinions, we pave the way for a more productive and satisfying life.
In today's world, we are inundated with opinions from all sides. However, it is crucial that we do not allow these opinions to unduly influence our thinking. Often, opinions reflect the views of influential individuals or groups, but influence does not equate to correctness. It takes courage and conviction to think independently and not simply follow the crowd.
In the autism space, well-meaning professionals continue to adhere to misconceptions. For example, just over two decades ago, it was believed that children diagnosed with autism would inevitably end up institutionalized. Parents were advised to send their children away before they grew attached, under the misguided belief that autistic children could not reciprocate affection, show emotions, think rationally, or learn meaningfully. Even now, the autism space is flooded with misconceptions. And the more impacted an autistic is, the more entrenched is the misconception about their capability and inclusion.
But the fact of the matter is that NO ONE is an expert on autism, even those who may have extensive credentials or degrees. Else we would have seen many autism solutions by now, instead of just more 'experts' with degrees.
This does not mean that all opinions are harmful. Like the sea, they can be tranquil and beneficial or destructive like a tsunami. The human mind has the capacity to discern between constructive and destructive opinions. By being open to new possibilities rather than blindly following prevailing opinions, we can navigate our way to a more productive and fulfilling life
The people we admire and respect—those who have changed the world—often chose to defy conventional wisdom. The Wright Brothers did not accept the belief that man could not fly, and Thomas Edison persisted with his inventions despite skepticism. A mind free from the constraints of prevailing opinions is more open to possibilities, leading to creativity and discovery.
Weak Central Coherence Theory of Autism
Caveat: There is no single theory that can fully explain autism.
The Weak Central Coherence Theory posits that autistics exhibit a cognitive processing style characterized by a propensity for local over global information processing. This theory suggests that autistics have a heightened focus on fine details at the expense of integrating these details into a coherent whole.
The Weak Central Coherence Theory provides a framework for understanding the distinct cognitive processing style in autism, characterized by a bias toward local over global processing. Neurobiological evidence supports this theory, showing enhanced local processing capabilities and impaired global integration due to altered neural connectivity. This theory helps explain the strengths and challenges faced by individuals with autism in various cognitive and social domains.
Key Concepts
Detail-Focused Processing:
- Cognitive Tendency: Autistics demonstrate superior performance on tasks requiring attention to fine details, suggesting an enhanced local processing bias.
- Neurobiological Basis: Neuroimaging studies indicate increased activation in primary and secondary sensory cortices, particularly the visual cortex, which may underlie this enhanced local processing.
Reduced Global Integration:
- Cognitive Deficit: There is a relative impairment in synthesizing details into a unified, overarching context, which affects higher-order cognitive tasks.
- Neurobiological Basis: This deficit is associated with reduced long-range connectivity and synchronization between frontal and posterior brain regions, impairing the integration of information across neural networks.
Neuroanatomical Correlates:
- Prefrontal Cortex: Involvement in executive functions and global processing is diminished, contributing to difficulties in integrating complex information.
- Posterior Regions: Including the occipital and parietal lobes, these regions exhibit enhanced local processing but reduced integration with other cortical areas.
Examples and Implications
Perceptual Tasks:
- Enhanced Performance: Autistic individuals often excel at visual search tasks, identifying small differences in stimuli more quickly and accurately than neurotypical individuals.
- Impaired Performance: They may struggle with tasks that require understanding the overall context, such as interpreting ambiguous figures or scenes.
Cognitive Tasks:
- Strengths: Detail-oriented tasks like pattern recognition or mechanical assembly are areas of strength.
- Weaknesses: Tasks requiring abstract thinking, such as comprehending proverbs or making inferences, present challenges due to impaired global processing.
Social Interaction:
- Implications: Social difficulties can arise from an inability to integrate social cues into a cohesive understanding of social interactions. This can lead to literal interpretations of language and difficulties with nonverbal communication.
Neuroimaging Evidence
- Functional MRI (fMRI):
- Findings: fMRI studies show atypical activation patterns in the frontal and parietal regions during tasks requiring global processing.
- Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI):
- Findings: DTI studies indicate atypical white matter integrity, suggesting disrupted long-range connectivity essential for global information integration.
- EEG/MEG:
- Findings: EEG and MEG studies reveal reduced coherence and synchronization across distant brain regions, supporting the notion of impaired global processing.
Two Versions of this post
Who Autism Research Leaves Out
"It’s time for researchers and technologists to rethink their methodologies and technologies, and explore other innovative approaches to give all members of the autistic community the care we need."
-Hari Srinivasan, Time
Vanderbilt Brain Institute Travel Grant
I got awarded the Vanderbilt Brain Institute Travel Grant
Funds towards travel expenses for the SfN Conference in October
Congratulations, Hari, from the entire Frist Center Family. We are excited to see the results of your research!
FCAI Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering Fellow Hari Srinivasan has been awarded the 2024 Autistic and Neurodivergent Scholars Working for Equity in Research (ANSWER) Scholars Program Award for his project “Navigating the Near: Virtual Reality Investigations of Peripersonal Space in Autism.” Srinivasan will receive a $10,000 award next academic year to work toward this research.
Hari’s continued outstanding achievements never fail to impress us! Congratulations, Hari, from the entire Frist Center Family. We are excited to see the results of your research!
Backyard Visitors
A deer family (mom and 2 baby deer) frequenting our backyard this summer. The young deer frolicking, chasing each other and running around is a delight to watch.
Here is a children's short story I wrote sometime ago.
Poster at CAN 2024
Yeah, I have another Poster Acceptance for the College Autism Network Summit 2024 in Oct.
================From: College Autism Network
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2024 2:41 PM
To: Srinivasan, Hari
Subject: College Autism Summit Submission Accepted - Poster
Dear Poster Participant:
We are pleased to inform you that your College Autism Summit submission titled 'Navigating the Near: Virtual Reality Investigations of Peripersonal Space in Autism' has been accepted.
………..
Best,
Amy Radochonski and Cherie Fishbaugh, Program Co-Chairs
Exploring Short-Term Synaptic Plasticity and Its Implications in Autism
Short-term synaptic plasticity, a temporary change in synaptic strength lasting from seconds to minutes, is a crucial mechanism for neural communication and information processing. Two key types of short-term plasticity are paired pulse facilitation (PPF) and paired pulse depression (PPD). Understanding these mechanisms can provide insight into the molecular & genetic underpinnings of autism.
Paired Pulse Facilitation (PPF) occurs when two signals (pulses) arrive in quick succession at a synapse, with the second pulse producing a stronger response than the first. This is due to residual calcium (Ca2+) remaining in the presynaptic terminal after the first pulse, which enhances neurotransmitter release upon the arrival of the second pulse. This phenomenon is particularly significant at synapses with low initial release probability, ensuring that enough neurotransmitters are available for subsequent release.
Paired Pulse Depression (PPD), on the other hand, is characterized by a diminished response to the second pulse. This occurs at synapses with high initial release probability, where the first pulse depletes the readily releasable pool of neurotransmitters, leaving insufficient resources for the second pulse. The timing between the pulses is critical; if the interval is too long, Ca2+ dissipates, and vesicles are replenished, mitigating these effects.
In the context of autism, alterations in short-term plasticity have been linked to the disorder's characteristic neural and behavioral features. Research has shown that mutations in synaptic genes such as SYN1 and SYN2, which regulate synaptic vesicle dynamics, can disrupt short-term plasticity. These mutations result in increased PPF at excitatory synapses and enhanced synaptic depression at inhibitory synapses, leading to an excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance that contributes to network hyperexcitability and altered neuronal communication (Frontiers, 2015) (Frontiers).
Furthermore, neuroligin-3 mutations, associated with autism, have been found to differentially alter synaptic function in the hippocampus and cortex. These mutations can increase inhibitory synaptic transmission and disrupt endocannabinoid signaling, further impacting short-term plasticity and neural circuitry (Molecular Psychiatry, 2015) (Nature). These findings underscore the significant role of short-term plasticity in maintaining neural circuit function and how its disruption can contribute to pathogenesis.
2 versions of this post
For the Academic/Scientific Audience
PlainSpeak in plain language for the lay reader
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