Blog Archives

Neuro-Developmental Differences / Disorders are NOT Just Differences of the Brain

1/27/2022

If we didn't know that Neuro-Developmental Disorders affected the Brain and the Central Nervous System --- that would be a big problem.

We do know that even as we're resistant to the ramifications of that.

BUT what if NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS are NOT just differences and disorders of the BRAIN & CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM?

What if they are affecting MULTIPLE SYSTEMS of the BODY?

The "OPTIMISTS" among us may say --- that marginalized poor person with Neuro-Developmental Disorders should be "CONTROLLING" all this with the proper values and work ethic ------

even as the BILLION DOLLAR RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS are struggling to figure it all out.

[BTW --- I am an OPTIMIST when it comes to ULTIMATELY UNDERSTANDING and CONTROLLING for these CHALLENGES --- but it is a WORK IN PROGRESS.]

In the meantime, the POOL of people with NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES / DISORDERS seems to be steadily increasing.

Which is NOT surprising if you realize that these DIFFERENCES & DISORDERS are linked to the IMMUNE SYSTEM, MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION, EPIGENETICS and INNATE & ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY.
By way of "EXPERIMENTATION" ---- "abnormal immune systems" --- can give rise to BIG STRENGTHS and BIG CHALLENGES --- and that can be in the SAME PERSON
- which has really CONFUSED our ASSUMPTIONS and RULES of THUMB --- that all the good traits are going together and all the bad traits are going together.
- People are "SELECTING" for the "good traits" and --- when they picked up one end of the stick --- they got the other as well.

Appropriately, we can't understand "NEURO-DIVERSITY" without using CRITICAL THINKING.

We must CONSCIOUSLY address both the CHALLENGES and STRENGTHS of NEURO-DIVERSITY.

Focusing on STRENGTHS ALONE --- may not currently be enough but those STRENGTHS can MITIGATE some of the weaknesses.

Those who were sad had rapid improvements in mood when they utilized their strongest skills.

---Jan. 23, 2022

The Environment, Sensitive / Reactive Systems & Enlightened Self-interest

1/20/2022

My experience is that the SOCIAL HIERARCHIES one is in during one's lifetime can change dramatically.
Many people experience the Hierarchies in SCHOOL and ACADEMIA as significantly different in SOME RESPECTS than those found in most ADULT ENVIRONMENTS.

For many Neuro-Diverse People --- SCHOOL is a TORTURE CHAMBER

For others, SCHOOL is a DREAM COME TRUE.

If that ENVIRONMENT is "WORKING" FOR US or "WORKING GOOD ENOUGH"--- we may see its FLAWS ---
- BUT we don't have enough SKIN IN THE GAME to do the HARD WORK to CHANGE it.
- OR Stick OUR NECKS OUT to CHANGE IT.

What's the POINT?:
- DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS work for DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
- Ironically, NEURO-DIVERSE PEOPLE often find themselves on OPPOSITE ENDS of the SPECTRUM ---
  - That's a lot of what I'm trying to say with the "Odd Couple" --- Autism & ADHD --- which are surprisingly

BLURRED.
Further, NEURO-DIVERSE People tend to be CONTROL FREAKS in their own ways because they are SO SENSITIVE or REACTIVE TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Is the Line between --- "Oh, that person is so 'PASSIONATE and SENSITIVE' to that person is 'PATHOLOGICAL and REACTIVE' " ----- really SO FINE --- or are we just OBLIVIOUS to the many steps it took to get from one to the OTHER ---

AS WELL AS the DIFFICULTY of recognizing COMPLEXITY in ourselves and others.

Nowhere is that perhaps more on DISPLAY than the "GIFTED COMMUNITY" that is having a hard time recognizing that their EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ISSUES are DEVELOPMENTAL and BIOLOGICAL ----

which given the ASSUMPTIONS of the Society is quite understandable.

More and More --- "GIFTEDNESS" is recognized as part of NEURO-DIVERSITY.

Who we are willing to recognize as "GIFTED" is also subject to UNCONSCIOUS THINKING & UNCONSCIOUS BIAS.

A lot of "GIFTED" People are working to change that.

Frank Sinatra
That's Life

Big Chill (1983)
Rationalizations

In 1983, I was not in my 30s --- I was in my early 20s and at the TOP of MY GAME.

In less than 5 years --- I was wondering what had happened.

The Revivalists
All My Friends

(I wasn't getting HIGH --- BUT I had my first MAJOR EPISODE of DEPRESSION -- and recall feeling as though I had jumped out of a plane without a PARACHUTE -- BUT I didn't know it was DEPRESSION)

So by my late 20s -- I was already struggling ---

I had assured my Mother who had grown up during the DEPRESSION with a SINGLE MOTHER with POLIO --- that this LIBERAL ARTS MAJOR was all going to work out because I was going to LAW SCHOOL and not only that I really wanted to be a LAWYER --- and SAVE THE WORLD.

We all have SKIN IN THE GAME when it comes to CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT

That's why it is so hard.
Ultimately, this needs to work for EVERYONE --- and that EVERYONE is DYNAMIC --- its not going to be the same in 50 years
And we're likely going to understand more in 50 years than we understand now.
Even if we don't have all the SPECIFICS of that KNOWLEDGE we can still operate under principles of the BELOVED COMMUNITY & ENLIGHTENED SELF-INTEREST in creating ENVIRONMENTS that are USER-FRIENDLY for DIVERSE USERS.

Alan Bloom on Enlightened Self-Interest

Composing to avoid Cacophony --- Understanding asynchrony

1/15/2022

It is hard to understand any BIOLOGY outside of the Environment and that's both a physical environment and a social environment.

The great MODERN ENTREPRENEURS and BENEVOLENT DICTATATORS and NOT SO BENEVELOENT DICTATORS often are NEURO-DIVERSE and if they are at the top they may feel safe to be open about that ---- Richard Branson and Elon Musk come to mind.

BUT you've really got to be at the TOP and feeling relatively INDEPENDENT --- often FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT but INDEPENDENT in other ways as well--- to be open about NEURO-DIVERSITY.

Further, NEURO-DIVERSITY is often like that ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM -- that nobody's talking about in this case --- because they don't really SEE IT or UNDERSTAND IT ---

This ASYNCHRONOUS ELEPHANT is CONFUSING to everyone --- including the person.
Further, we and individuals themselves have ASSUMPTIONS about HIGHER ORDER THINKING and its relationship to EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING --- and the experience often the PAINFUL EXPERIENCE of NEURO-DIVERSE PEOPLE is that REALITY is much more COMPLICATED than those ASSUMPTIONS.

Asynchronous Development In Gifted People

So while NEURO-DIVERSITY tends to bring with it BIG STRENGTHS which can be in HIGHER ORDER THINKING that need to be DEVELOPED, EMPLOYED and REWARDED --- it brings BIG CHALLENGES too --- often in EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING.

If you DEVELOP and REWARD those NEURO-DIVERSE STRENGTHS and OTHERS COMPENSATE for REMAINING CHALLENGES ----

that person can start to look AMAZING and probably is doing AMAZING THINGS.

--- the other hand, if you don't DEVELOP and REWARD those DIVERSE STRENGTHS and people become SOCIAL OUTCASTS because all anyone can see are the WEAKNESSES:

that person can start to look TERRIBLE, and in one or more ways probably is DE-COMPENSATING.

Take the "O Train" to get to Criminal Justice Reform in a Hurry

Jazz Academy at Lincoln Center (2020)

Music scholar Greg Thomas discusses the lasting legacy of Duke Ellington's 1943 masterwork "Black, Brown, and Beige."

One of the many interesting observations of Thomas is that Ellington composed with certain musicians in mind --- understanding their strengths and weaknesses.

That complicated challenge is what we are called on to do as a Society.

Elon Musk

WHERE THIS STARTS TO GET BLURRED:

If we set people up on a PEDESTAL --- they are going to FALL OFF --- either in their LIFETIMES or to be WITNESSED BY HISTORY
- People are NOT PERFECT --- and for some / many NEURO-DIVERSE people those BIG STRENGTHS come with some BIG WEAKNESSES.

See The Microbiome, Stress, Trauma, the Anna Karenina Principle & Justice

Most people are dealing with COMPLEX, IDIOSYNCRATIC combinations of FACTORS (most of which aren't even HUMAN --- think the MICROBIOME) that are playing out INDIVIDUALLY in this MOMENT in TIME.

Ironically, it is UNDERSTANDING the BIOLOGICAL BASIS of BEHAVIOR that argues AGAINST:
- SOCIAL HIERARCHIES and
- EUGENICS
And FOR:
- A more COMPLICATED and CHALLENGING VIEW of HUMAN STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
- That is NOT on a WILD GOOSE CHASE for the PERFECT PERSON, but is ---
- Taking people as THEY ARE:
  - Developing, Employing & Rewarding Strengths AND
  - Compensating for Weaknesses to the best of our ABILITY

Duke Ellington Composing

It's the DIFFICULT TASK of COMPOSING with the MUSICIANS in MIND --- ALL The MUSICIANS.

Y'All MEANS ALL

And because NONE of US are PERFECT --- we MUST do this together.

Richard Branson

Neuro-Developmental Continuums, Psychiatric Disorders, Trauma, Intelligence & Sensory Processing

1/11/2022

Understanding PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS as "DISORDERS of the NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL CONTINUUM" has IMPLICATIONS.

One of the many things that has made this so DIFFICULT to tease out is even though PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS have been known to be for some time "HEAVILY GENETIC" ---- they weren't "TOTALLY GENETIC" ---

The Twin Studies were sometimes seen as saying MENTAL ILLNESS wasn't "TOTALLY BIOLOGICAL"
- I think what they were really saying was --- MENTAL ILLNESS isn't "TOTALLY GENETIC"

Further, the National Institute of Mental Health came up with a construction of GENES x ENVIRONMENT x AGE = MENTAL ILLNESS.

This was AFTER researchers had IDENTIFIED TRAUMA as being associated with MENTAL ILLNESS but BEFORE we had IDENTIFIED MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION as being associated with BOTH NEURO-DEVEPMENTAL DISORDERS and PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

Dr. Dawn Elise Snipes
Continuing Education Units

Neurobiological Impact of Psychological Trauma on the HPA Axis

Initially, "Oh TRAUMA -- that's 'PSYCHOLOGICAL'--- that's NOT 'BIOLOGICAL.' "

Now --- we're more likely to recognize that TRAUMA is BOTH --- "PSYCHOLOGICAL" and "BIOLOGICAL."
Most surprising it is involving the IMMUNE SYSTEM --- NOT JUST THE BRAIN. (and OTHER SYSTEMS OF THE BODY)

Automatic Brain: The Magic of the Unconscious Mind (2011)

"Over 90 percent of our daily actions are done unconsciously, an "autopilot" in our head. Automatic

"Brain takes a look at how unconscious processes steer the lives of two ordinary people, from everyday routines to life choices such as finding a partner. Featured by XIVETV."

Repurposed Genealogy

The Gifted Brain & Sensory Processing Disorder

Further, we've had SIMPLISTIC NOTIONS of INTELLIGENCE --- that have not held up in my life and I don't think I'm the only one.

So I would submit that INTELLIGENCE is not just "GENETICS" or for that matter "ENVIRONMENT" --- it is in fact closely related to INFLAMMATION that can lead to a perception of BELOW AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE or ABOVE AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE.

The Epidemic of "Misdiagnosis" of Mental Health Problems in the "Gifted" Community

High IQ & Psycho-Neuro-Immunology

PG Psych Lecture Series
D Y Patil University School of Medicine

Understanding Psychiatric Illnesses as Disorders of the Neurodevelopmental Continuum (2021)

This video is from India --- it's almost 1 hr. and 45 minutes long.

The point is really that this is more reflecting the NEW PARADIGMS regarding PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS and their relationship to NEURO-DEVELOPMENT.

National Institute of Mental Health (2018)

Big Brain: Perks & Costs

"It turns out that the bigger our brain is, the more its additional real estate is accounted for by growth in the higher thinking areas of the cortex, or outer mantle – at the expense of relatively slower growth in lower emotional, sensory and motor areas.

"This mirrors the pattern of brain changes seen in primate evolution and individual maturation – with higher-order areas showing greatest expansion.

"In the neuroimaging study of more than 3000 people, the investigators also found evidence linking these high-expanding regions to higher connectivity between neurons and higher energy consumption."

HERE'S THE CATCH-22

Our INTELLIGENCE is very much related to our abilities to take in "SENSORY INFORMATION" and find "PATTERNS."
Our BRAINS, IMMUNE SYSTEMS, MICROBIOMES, ENDOCRINE SYSTEMS, etc. ---- don't have an UNLIMITED CAPACITY to take in sensory information and process it.
The gains we have made have been over vast STRETCHES of TIME and it is not without MISTAKES.
Those MISTAKES often must be CLEANED UP by someone who hasn't been born yet.

The Star Institute is located in Centennial, Colorado

A pilot study by the STAR Institute found that the 35% of the children in one large sample (n=550) from a gifted and talented center exhibited symptoms of SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder).

This is significantly more than the 5% that pilot studies have found in the general population.

NEURODiversity Wednesday

Neuro-Developmental Differences / Disorders are NOT Just Differences of the Brain

The Environment, Sensitive / Reactive Systems & Enlightened Self-interest

Composing to avoid Cacophony --- Understanding asynchrony

Neuro-Developmental Continuums, Psychiatric Disorders, Trauma, Intelligence & Sensory Processing

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

Archives

Categories

​ NEURODiversity Wednesday

Neuro-Developmental Differences / Disorders are NOT Just Differences of the Brain

The Environment, Sensitive / Reactive Systems & Enlightened Self-interest

Composing to avoid Cacophony --- Understanding asynchrony

Neuro-Developmental Continuums, Psychiatric Disorders, Trauma, Intelligence & Sensory Processing

Neuro-DiversityWednesday(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

Archives

Categories

NEURODiversity Wednesday

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)