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
Transcription Bloopers
Actual Audio: You want to go into superior colliculus a bit more?
Transcription Software: You want to go into the spiritual leaders a bit more.
Audio: So the input is converging.
Software: So the imprint is converging
Disability and Poverty is a tough cycle
In PlainSpeak for Lay Audience
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
UCLA-AIRP Answer Scholars Award
Congratulations! On behalf of the Autistic and Neurodivergent Scholars Working for Equity in Research (ANSWER) of the AIR-P, we are pleased to inform you that your project... has been selected for the 2024 ANSWER Scholars Program for the project period September 1st, 2024 – August 31, 2025. Your application, achievements, and qualifications truly impressed our review committee.
The False Moral Authority of Titles
The False Moral Authority of Titles
In today's world, holding an advanced degree or prestigious title leads those individuals to think that they are entitled to the role of moral and legal gatekeeper. Such a perspective is not only outdated but dangerously arrogant.
(This echoes the colonial mindset where the "educated colonizers" claimed ipso facto moral and legal authority over those they deemed "uneducated primitives").
One quick path to fame and relevance today is the spread of negative news, fueled by algorithms that amplify these messages. As as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar noted, humans already have a tendency to doubt the positive but not the negative. For instance, when someone says "I love you," it's often met with skepticism ("Really?"), while "I hate you" is silently accepted.
Negative news triggers larger outward reactions, whereas positive news generates internal feel-good responses that don't spread as widely. As a result, negative spins and conspiracy theories have become a quick road to staying relevant and profits in the form of online followers, book deals, speaking engagements.... which in turn helps justify the perception of them as an "expert" and the "moral authority."
This phenomenon has many parallels in the field of autism. Select groups have positioned themselves as the sole experts of autism, their way the only way, and the lone voice of morality. They effectively shut down alternative lines of research in autism or approaches by being the loudest or most powerful voice. This is accompanied by vicious attacks, harassment, and doxxing of those they consider "others." This helps maintain their positions of power, fame and profit - (Perhaps they also get a rush out of this bullying).
The irony is that existing evidence-based practices are often weaponized or misrepresented to justify their stance. Just because something isn't fully explainable or understood yet doesn't mean it should be dismissed as pseudoscience. Rather, it represents science-in-progress. Complex phenomena like autism often defy simple cause-and-effect explanations, waiting for the right methods, technologies, or even an evolution in our scientific thinking to fit neatly into an explainable model.
A 'certification degree' or Ph.D. does not make one all-knowing about a highly heterogeneous condition like autism. We are all still trying to figure autism out. If we had all the explanations and solutions, the quality of life for all autistic individuals would be infinitely better. It’s crucial to remember that science is a process, not a destination. It thrives on curiosity, openness, and the willingness to challenge existing paradigms. True progress in understanding autism, and indeed any complex phenomenon, requires humility, collaboration, and an openness to diverse perspectives.
Let's resist the allure of false authority and the spread of negativity. Instead, let's foster a culture of inquiry and respect, where every voice is heard, and every avenue of research is explored. Only then can we hope to make meaningful progress in understanding and improving the lives of those within the autism community and beyond.
The Role of Parvalbumin Neurons in Autism
A PlainSpeak version for the Lay Reader
The Role of Parvalbumin Neurons in Autism
Background
Scientists believe that a special type of brain cell called Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons (INs) may play a key role in autism. Even though autism can be caused by many different genetic and environmental factors, people with autism often show similar behaviors. This suggests that there might be a common issue in the brain across different individuals with autism (1).
Understanding the role of PV+ interneurons in autism helps us see why many symptoms of autism occur, like sensory sensitivity and seizures.
The Balance of Brain Signals
Our brains need a balance between "go" signals (excitation) and "stop" signals (inhibition) to work properly. In autism, it was first thought that there is too much excitation and not enough inhibition, leading to an imbalance. This imbalance could explain why some people with autism have seizures (4,5). However, this idea is too simple because many types of brain cells are involved in maintaining this balance.
What We Know About PV+ Cells in Autism
Researchers have found that PV+ cells in the brains of autistics are often not working as they should:
- Fewer PV+ cells: There are fewer of these cells in the brain, and they produce less of a protein called parvalbumin.
- Changes in brain waves: These cells help control brain waves called gamma oscillations. In autism, the power of these gamma waves is higher than normal.
- Reduced activity: PV+ cells show less activity in response to visual signals.
PV+ cells are the most common type of inhibitory ("stop/slow down") neuron in the brain, but other types of neurons may also be involved in autism.
Brain Excitability and Sensory Sensitivity
When PV+ cells don't function properly, the brain becomes overly excitable and synchronized, making seizures more likely. This can also cause exaggerated responses to sensory inputs, like touch or sound. For example, in a mouse model of autism, the response to whisker movement is weaker in certain brain cells.
Sensory Overload
Autistics often experience sensory overload because their brains can't tune out irrelevant information. This may be due to a failure of brain cells to adapt to continuous stimulation (2).
Visual Processing
PV+ neurons are important for fine-tuning the way we see things, helping us to distinguish between different visual inputs.
Brain Waves and Communication
Increased gamma wave activity, which is linked to sensory and communication issues, is common in autism. PV+ cells help generate these waves, and their dysfunction leads to irregular brain activity patterns (3).
2 Versions of this Post
For the Science/Academic Reader
References
- 1.Contractor, A., Klyachko, V. A., & Portera-Cailliau, C. (2021). Reduced density and activity of parvalbumin interneurons in autism. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 13(1), 1-15.
- 2.Green, S. A., & Gu, Y. (2015). Sensory hypersensitivity in autism spectrum disorders. Current Biology, 25(18), R876-R879.
- 3.Guyon, N., & Nahmani, M. (2021). Role of parvalbumin interneurons in gamma oscillations and sensory processing in autism. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15, 692872.
- 4. Hussman, J. P. (2001). Suppressed GABAergic inhibition as a common factor in suspected etiologies of autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(2), 247-248.
- 5. Rubenstein, J. L., & Merzenich, M. M. (2003). Model of autism: Increased ratio of excitation/inhibition in key neural systems. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 2(5), 255-267.
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