<![CDATA[Orchid Advocacy - NEURO-DIVERSITY Wednesday]]>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 12:37:04 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Karl Perazzo, Percussion, Neuro-diversity and community]]>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 02:31:44 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/karl-perazzo-percussion-neuro-diversity-and-community
Val's Take
  • So the purpose of this is not to sell you percussion instruments.
  • But it is to talk about musical communities for neuro-diverse folks.
  • Percussion can be a great intro.
​
Summary

Across autism, cognitive impairment, cerebral palsy, and broader disability, percussion-based activities appear accessible, motivating, and socially rich.
​
​They can strengthen attention and self-regulation, support motor coordination, and open low-pressure ways to connect with others.

​For people with atypical brain connectivity, learning percussion and joining drum groups can be a practical, enjoyable introduction to both musicality and community participation.

How can percussion and learning percussion instruments be a good introduction to music and community for people with atypical brain connectivity?

​Karl Perazzo
I met some of my friends from Swallow Hill Music at Denver Percussion to see Karl Perazzo.

Swallow Hill Music is about Music but it is also about creating community --- and it does.

One of the things about Swallow Hill --- it does have instruments available for use.

Rec Centers have broadened their horizons and you can get not only weight training or basketball but access to a lot of other activities.

The Rec Centers could make Percussion available to a lot of people and combat loneliness with this low pressure, fun way to socialize.


]]><![CDATA[Manic Depression]]>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:53:33 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/manic-depression2674677
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • ​In a real way, Bipolar Disorder is the Study of Humanity.
​University of Michigan Medicine
​Bipolar Disorder is the Study of Humanity
Picture
Frank Capra, "Manic Depression" and "It's A Wonderful Life" 
Jimi Hendrix
Manic Depression
​​Frank Sinatra
That's Life
]]><![CDATA[Neuro-Diversity and Hyper and Hypo Brain Connectivity]]>Tue, 26 May 2026 14:39:13 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/neuro-diversity-and-hyper-and-hypo-brain-connectivitySummary
​
Neurodiverse brains are not simply “too connected” or “not connected enough,” but uniquely organized.

Personalized connectivity mapping plus focused neuroplasticity‑oriented interventions offer a science‑based way to support underconnected networks while preserving, and even leveraging, existing hyperconnected strengths.
Val's Take/Conjecture ​
  • Hyper and Hypo Brain Connectivity is a REAL THING in Neuro-Diversity.​
  • Neuro-Plasticity has been a buzz word for a few years now --- BUT our ideas on this have been simplistic.
  • Neuro-Diverse people do have uniquely organized brains and that is one reason why Neuro-Diverse people have such different experiences with Treatment and Treatment Outcomes.
  • Further, those uniquely organized brains are presenting some unique energy challenges for the body.
    • ​Or is it that unique energy challenges are leading to uniquely organized brains?
    • It may be and probably is BI-DIRECTIONAL and more.
  • The recognition of ENERGY as a BIG ISSUE in Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders is still new --- but has the potential to transform treatment and greatly improve treatment outcomes.
    • Even if "connectivity mapping" and "personalized neuro-plasticity interventions" are still experimental  ----
      • It seems like we're making progress.
Neurodiversity, Hyperconnectivity, and Hypoconnectivity 

BUT

On Connectivity Mapping 
​
Conclusion

​Connectivity mapping is increasingly personalized at the level of data analysis (individual-specific networks, biotypes, prediction models), and it can already track symptoms and forecast response probabilistically.

However, in day-to-day treatment for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, its use is still largely experimental and not routinely guiding specific therapies for individual patients.
On Personalized Neuro-Plasticity-Oriented Interventions
​Conclusion

Neuroplasticity‑oriented treatments (cognitive training, neuromodulation, certain medications, VR/BCI, exercise, psychotherapy) are already used for several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.

However, making these truly personalized—selected and timed based on each person’s biology, plasticity level, and context—is mostly a developing research direction rather than a routine clinical reality today.
]]><![CDATA["Psychiatric Symptoms" across Disease & Disorder Categories]]>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:39:53 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/psychiatric-symptoms-across-disease-disorder-categories​The Bias that comes with that primary psychiatric diagnosis
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • This is building on the work of Neuro-Scientist David Eagleman and his observations that a ONE WORD LABEL could change how much we care about someone.
  • One of the things that has been interesting to me in my research as well as my professional and personal experience:  
    • ​People with other illnesses and disorders such as:
      • CANCER,
      • MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS,
      • DIABETES,
      • NEURO-DEGENERATIVE DISORDERS,
      • etc.
                     often experience PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS, 
​                     too.
  • When we say someone has a "PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER" ---- what does that really mean?
    • It often means they have a complex developmental Neuro-Immune Disorder
    • Including dysregulated Microglia -- the brain's innate immune cells, and
    • Dysfunctional Mitochondria
    • ​Further, those challenges often track with other diseases and disorders.
  • On the other hand, people with a primary psychiatric diagnosis are often:
    • younger
    • mobile  
    • experience significant emotional dysregulation
    • executive functioning challenges and
    • some unusual fatigue
    • sometimes some speech issues
  • The lack of biomarkers,  BROAD SPECTRUMS and the existence of genuine dangerous behavior among a small minority of people with psychiatric disorders, leads to chronic stress---
    • ​not only for individuals,
    • ​but also the society at large.
​Elevated mortality risks associated with late diagnosis of cancer in individuals with psychiatric disorders?  (2025)
​​Mental Illness Might Be Early Feature of Multiple Sclerosis (2023)
Unraveling the genetic links between depression and type 2 diabetes (2025)
Demyelination in psychiatric and neurological disorders: Mechanisms, clinical impact, and novel therapeutic strategies (2025)
Evaluating metabolome-wide causal effects on risk for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders (2025)
]]><![CDATA[ATP Deficits, Synapses, american authors & deep water]]>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 20:12:23 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/atp-deficits-synapses-american-authors-deep-water
Val's Take/Conjecture

Do Microglia eat synapses?  Yes

CHOMP, CHOMP

The experience of reality for Neuro-Diverse Folks and those with Psychiatric Disorders can be "GASLIGHTING" or SURREAL in itself.

Often the person is starting out with MORE SYNAPSES, there has been some INADEQUATE PRUNING --- maybe there are some problems, but there are also some GIFTS.

THOSE EXTRA SYNAPSES are costing MORE ENERGY --- and things are moving off a DELICATE BALANCE.

Many Neuro-Diverse folks who started out with MORE SYNAPSES end up over the lifespan with FEWER SYNAPSES than someone who was born NEURO-TYPICAL.

​Further, "SLOWING DOWN" is probably both necessary and quite complicated --- you need to be able to "EXERCISE" those "SYNAPTIC CONNECTIONS" at the level they are --- SOME ARE QUITE HIGH, AND SOME ARE QUITE LOW.

"Traveling twice the speed of sound --- it's easy to get burned."

GO WITH THE FLOW
BIOENERGETICS & THE DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS OF MENTAL HEALTH

It's important to pair the Bioenergetics understanding of Mental Health with the Developmental Origins of Mental Health.

Otherwise, this just comes off as somebody's poor "LIFESTYLE CHOICES," and throwing somebody under the bus is not only justified --- it's morally required.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE BIOMARKERS.  I think a lot of people have been afraid of this --- often for good reason. 

BUT THE TRUTH IS --- LACK OF BIOMARKERS KILL PEOPLE EVERYDAY. 

More completely understanding these processes --- BENEFITS EVERYONE.
g Fun Facts
Neuroscience: The ATP Deficit: How Bioenergetics Drives Depressive Behaviors
​American Authors
​Deep Water
Picture
]]><![CDATA[Classic Intelligence, Executive Functioning, Emotional Regulation & envirnomental Stress]]>Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:58:43 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/classic-intelligence-executive-functioning-emotional-regulation-envirnomental-stress
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • ​I don't think China sees it as its mission to prop up the egos of people with "Bipolar Disorder"
    • But researchers in China found that there was a genetic overlap between bipolar disorder and intelligence. 
And in fact, "some kind of intelligence above the norm" is not uncommon among people with Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders.
Most Neuro-Diverse people have put ENORMOUS ENERGY into MASKING EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING CHALLENGES.
  • ​By ADULTHOOD, you're often like Lucy at the Chocolate Factory and the Conveyor Belt is running way too fast.
  • But you still have some kind of above average intelligence even if it is being obscured by more obvious Executive Functioning Challenges.
Lucy & Ethel at the Chocolate Factory with the Boss from Hell
Picture
Meningeal lymphatics-microglia axis regulates synaptic physiology (2025)

[What gets dysregulated IN UTERO due to Maternal Immune Activation? --- MICROGLIA.]
​What Is Masking?
Paige Layle (2021) ​
Almost the first 2 minutes is a deodorant ad.

At 4:00, Paige talks about feeling like an Alien and that if anyone finds out --- they will kill her.

I think that can mean a lot of different things. 

The irony is that many Neuro-Diverse folks are often the ones insisting on RULES.

On the other hand, it becomes apparent our own  Executive Functioning Challenges are going to break the rules.
​There are a lot of Neuro-Diverse Folks who will talk about being so different in their behaviors.
​It seems to me that it is the EMOTIONAL INTENSITY that we experience that is "ATYPICAL" --- not necessarily the act of people watching, or being hurt by rejection or feeling grief.
​When you talk about SYNAPSE NUMBER and Neuro-Diversity --- it is confusing.
There's research that isn't necessarily addressing "synapse number" but "atypical synapse formation or pruning."
For a lot of Neuro-Diverse people in their Middle Decades, they are not perceiving that they have changed as much as the demands of the environment have gotten greater and the challenges they always had are more obvious.
For me personally there has been ENORMOUS  ANXIETY, FEAR and EVEN TERROR with regard to these seeming DISCONNECTS among:
  • My Intelligence
  • My Processing Speed, and
  • My Executive Functioning 

Although for most of my life, I didn't have a vocabulary or sufficient understanding to articulate those issues.
​When we talk about CHRONIC ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS and Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders, Chronic Disease and Neuro-Degenerative Disorders---
  • These Challenges and Perceived Incongruities among intelligence, processing speed and executive functioning are much more of a factor than we have historically realized.
Picture
Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Illnesses: Autism, Fragile X Syndrome, Parkinson's Disease, and Dementia  (2022)
​
Editorial:  University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health
​In psychiatry, we work to help patients overcome their symptoms and disabilities at very different stages of their lives, from early childhood to adolescence into adulthood and old age.

The papers in this issue of the Journal are focused on illnesses that present at the two ends of the age spectrum, infancy and old age.

The papers involving neurodegenerative disorders have important clinical implications for our readership providing evidence supporting the optimal treatment of behavioral disturbances and psychotic symptoms in patients with dementia and PD [Parkinson's Disease] .

​ The papers on ASD and fragile X syndrome characterize patterns of aberrant neural development, bringing to our awareness the possibility of identifying early-life neural risk markers for these illnesses, as well as treatment strategies instituted prior to the onset of significant symptoms that could target alterations in aberrant neurodevelopmental processes.
]]><![CDATA[Orion Kelly on 4 Sub-Types of Autism; Taylor Heaton on High IQ & Autism]]>Wed, 05 Nov 2025 20:10:42 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/orion-kelly-on-4-sub-types-of-autism-taylor-heaton-on-high-iq-autism
Taylor Heaton makes the point that we're only using a small part of our brains.  The experience of poorly pruned synapses turns out to be a BIG ENERGY COST.

You don't have to be using that much more of your brain than someone who is neurotypical --- before that is a BIG STRAIN on the body.

Thomas Kuhn made the point that when paradigms shift --- it seems as if the whole world shifts.

A lot of our ideas about INTELLIGENCE are pretty far off the mark.

Understanding distinctions between CLASSIC INTELLIGENCE, EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING and EMOTIONAL REGULATION implicate not only psychology but also cellular and molecular biology.

Some of us got SMOKED OUT --- without realizing what was happening.
​​Orion Kelly
That Autistic Guy
4 Subtypes of Autism (2025)
Mom on the Spectrum
Does High IQ Mask Autism?
(2023)​
]]><![CDATA[Crooked Trees & Precision Neuro-Immunology]]>Mon, 06 Oct 2025 15:55:53 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/crooked-trees-precision-neuro-immunology
​Val's Take:  The "Crooked Trees" out there are NOT anxious to lose their special intelligences, talents and/or abilities.

This has come up already in the context of MEDICATION.  People have been presented with many difficult choices.  Mental Health Professionals have gotten BETTER at acknowledging the challenges of medication, and some of the medications have improved.

We're in the process of a MAJOR PARADIGM SHIFT regarding Neuro-Developmental, Psychiatric and related Addiction Disorders.

Ironically, RESEARCHERS around the World have significantly different understandings of Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders than CLINICIANS or the PUBLIC.
​Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Crooked Tree
​Austin Lounge Lizards
The Shallow End of the Gene Pool
]]><![CDATA[Suffering]]>Sat, 27 Sep 2025 02:23:42 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/suffering
​Val's Take:  Suffering is built into life.  Helen Keller said that life was full of suffering but also full of the overcoming of it.

There are plenty of complicated problems previous generations didn't resolve, even as they did resolve some extremely difficult problems.

When we're talking about extreme physical and/or affective pain --- that pretty quickly becomes the issue.  We wouldn't say --- why don't you go through major surgery without anesthesia and grow through your pain.

Additionally, something like Glutamate Excitotoxicity is associated with both chronic physical pain and affective, emotional pain.
Picture
Modulation of Glutamate for Chronic Pain Management (2022)
​Doobie Brothers
Toulouse Street
When we're struggling, it can feel like Toulouse Street:

I'm walkin' in shadows, I cannot see
Faces, they smile when I fall or flee
Doors without windows all shuttered tight again

I just might pass this way again

Locked in a room down in New Orleans
Arthur Brooks
Don't Waste Suffering
]]><![CDATA[HealthyGAmerGG on Relationships]]>Thu, 25 Sep 2025 03:57:40 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/neuro-diversity-wednesday/healthygamergg-on-relationships
​HealthyGamerGG
ADHD and Relationships
​Val Take:  This is Dr. K with YouTube's wildly popular HealthyGamerGG.  

There is a lot here.  One of the things that he suggests for addressing relationship issues is an OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST.  I've made that suggestion myself with regard to employment issues and issues in general.

I think there is a HUGE MARKET for OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS and COACHES to address Executive Functioning Issues in NEURO-DIVERSITY.  My observation is occupational therapists are in short supply, and coaches may be more accessible.

Talk therapy can have an important role in addressing Neuro-Diversity --- but we really need to get to pragmatic work-arounds and accommodations that occupational therapists and coaches will generally be better equipped to address.
"TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES"

  • "Totality of the Circumstances" is a legal concept.
  • Most Neuro-Diverse people need to address Neuro-Diversity in both their work and personal lives.
  • A recent study came out finding that couples have similar psychological disorders.
  • I think the same can be true for work as well.
  • BUT PEOPLE ARE NOT CLONES.
  • Part of this is recognizing that you need work-arounds and accommodations.
  • The other part is recognizing that others need work-arounds and accommodations.
  • I don't think Neuro-Diversity is that uncommon, especially when you look at what may cause it --- something like MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION.​​
Picture
​Spouses tend to share psychiatric disorders,
​massive study finds (Aug. 2025)
Analysis of almost 15 million people shows the trend increases with each decade, across cultures and generations.
Translational Love, Relationships & Neuro-Diversity Saturdday
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