Equanimity is the steady hand that guides us through life's ups and downs

Towards a more humane society. #MentalHealth. Contemplation, one line a day.

 

The Neurotransmitter Showdown: GABA v Glutamate in the Courtroom.

The Neurotransmitter Showdown: GABA v Glutamate in the Courtroom.

GABA: Good day, Glutamate. How do you plead today?

Glutamate: Not guilty Your Honor. My actions were justified.

GABA: Oh, please. You know that you always overexcite the receptors and cause chaos in the brain.

Glutamate: That's simply untrue. I only activate the NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptors as needed.

GABA: Needed? 

Your excessive activation of those receptors leads to seizures and neurotoxicity and not to mention hyperactivity, mood swings, social communication challenges, and sensory dysfunction in autistics. 

You are totally implicated in the Excitatory-Inhibition Imbalance theory in autism.

Hari: You Said It, GABA!! Tell it like it is. 

Judge (pounding table with mallet): Order in the court! The audience is not allowed to speak. 

Hari: Your Honor, I was not speaking out loud. It was all in my mind. 

Judge: But we are in your mind so everyone here can hear you. 

Hari: Oh, Ok. Then I'll go off and take a nap. 

Judge. Thank you Hari. 

(Pounding with mallet) Order! Order!I call order in the courtroom!

Executive and Contextual Control Theory (ECCT)

 

While no single theory fully explains all aspects of autism, each attempts to provide insights into different cognitive and behavioral characteristics.

• ECCT posits that individuals with autism have difficulties with contextual control, which is the ability to modulate behavior based on the context. This can be related to challenges in executive function and flexibility.
• Implications: Difficulty in adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts, rigidity in thought processes, and a tendency toward repetitive behaviors.

Read more on [ECCT Theory]

Posts on other [Theories of Autism]

27 Genetic Variants Linked to ADHD

 https://neurosciencenews.com/genetics-adhd-22476/

"imbalance in dopamine in the brains of people with ADHD is partly attributable to genetic risk factors"

"7,300 common genetic variants that increase the risk of ADHD. It is particularly interesting that the vast majority of these variants—84-98 percent—also have an influence on other mental disorders, e.g. autism, depression and schizophrenia"