Autism. Senses. Seeing the world as it is. Being philosophically illiterate.

Autism spectrum disorders are generally thought to be caused by deficits in brain development, but a study in mice now suggests that at least some aspects of the disorder – including how touch is perceived, anxiety, and social abnormalities – are linked to defects in another area of the nervous system, the peripheral nerves found throughout the limbs, digits, and other parts of the body that communicate sensory information to the brain.

In the new study, the researchers examined the effects of gene mutations known to be associated with ASD in humans. In particular, they focused on Mecp2, which causes Rett syndrome, a disorder that is often associated with ASD, and Gabrb3, which also is implicated in ASD. They looked at two other genes connected to ASD-like behaviors as well.

By engineering mice that have these mutations only in their peripheral sensory neurons, which detect light touch stimuli acting on the skin, scientists showed that mutations there are both necessary and sufficient for creating mice with an abnormal hypersensitivity to touch.

The investigators measured how the mice reacted to touch stimuli, such as a light puff of air on their backs, and tested whether they could discriminate between objects with different textures. Mice with ASD gene mutations in only their sensory neurons exhibited heightened sensitivity to touch stimuli and were unable to discriminate between textures. The investigators next examined anxiety and social interactions in the mice using established tests looking at how much mice avoided being out in the open and how much they interacted with mice they’d never seen before. The animals with ASD gene mutations only in peripheral sensory neurons showed heightened anxiety and interacted less with other mice.

“Based on our findings, we think mice with these ASD-associated gene mutations have a major defect in the ‘volume switch’ in their peripheral sensory neurons”, says first author Lauren Orefice, a postdoctoral fellow in Ginty’s lab. Essentially, she says, the volume is turned up all the way in these neurons, leading the animals to feel touch at an exaggerated, heightened level.

“We think it works the same way in humans with ASD”, Ginty adds. (1)

We tend to believe that having our senses is right.

We are certain that people with no senses have problems.

We are certain that people with heightened senses have issues as well.

In a world full of deceit, we like believing we are right. Because we see. Because we hear. Because we can touch and taste. But the world is only phenomena. Full of smoke and mirrors. The only way to look through the deception is by closing your eyes or by looking too hard.

Some people do.

And they scream out of agony when they do.

Or stay silent in awe.

All we can do is pity them. Because we do not understand. And we never will…

Autism as a privilege. Not a disease!

Autism-stacking-cans_2nd_edit

Could drama workshops help children with autism-spectrum disorders? Results from a pilot study called Imagining Autism suggests this might be the case.
The research involved 22 children aged between 7 and 12 and consisted of one 45-minute session every week for 10 weeks. During this time, groups of four children entered an enclosed themed environment, such as a forest or outer space. These environments were designed to engage all senses simultaneously, using lights, sounds, puppetry and interactive digital elements.

Trained performers used improvisation techniques to encourage the children to engage creatively with the environment and each other, both physically and verbally. The hope was that the sessions would help develop the children’s communication, social interaction, and imagination skills – the “triad of impairments” seen in autism. (1)

Autism most of the times is related to excessive communication and creativity!
Autism most of the times is related to hypersensitivity to sensory input. (23456789)
Autistic children may have problem distinguishing fantasy from reality. (1011)

So?
So what?

What makes us so high and mighty to name all these symptoms “DISEASE”?

We have lost the connection with our self.
We have lost the connection with the world around us.
We have lost the ability to be creative.
We have lost the right to have fantasy like children only can.
We have become alone and cold.

And we treat everyone different as “sick”!

We have named white black.
And black white.
But white is white.
And we must not be afraid to look at it.

WE need to be in the forest again.
WE need to feel again.
NOT the children with autism.

WE need to be human again.

These children are happy in their world.
And we try to make them unhappy by bringing them into ours. [Valia]

Let’s stop trying.
Let’s just love.

Autism, statistics, numbers, Love.

Τhe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raised eyebrows, and concern among current and prospective parents, with a report documenting that the rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in the United States jumped 30% between 2008 and 2010, from one in 88 to one in 68 children. CDC officials don’t know, however, whether the startling increase is due to skyrocketing rates of the disorder or more sensitive screening, or a combination of both. (Forbes gives a nice rundown of the many reasons for this uncertainty).

The number of diagnoses “have been steadily climbing” from one in 150 since the CDC’s national surveillance system was put into place in 2000, “so I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised” by the new data, says Sarah Spence, a neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital. About half of the children diagnosed with ASD in the new report had normal or above-average intelligence, compared with a third of children 10 years ago, suggesting that a significant proportion of the new cases are due to more sensitive diagnostic measures rather than increased incidence, she says. Still, “I think all of us in the field are a little frightened by the numbers”. (1)

The simplest way to distort the truth is to measure it.
Numbers cannot replace Love.

Every measurement is based on specific conditions and assumptions.
But love is unconditional.
Without assumptions.
Without limitations.

Nothing.
0.

Everything.
10.

You.
1.

I.
1, 2, 3…

We are all autistic!

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