There is evidence that people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, depression, or autism are, in some contexts, more epistemically rational, that is, more responsive to evidence and more likely to form true beliefs, than people without any psychiatric diagnosis. People make more accurate predictions when they are depressed, because the statistically normal way to make predictions is characterized by excessive optimism. People with autism score higher in social interaction games (such as Prisoner’s Dilemma) and are more logically consistent than control participants when making decisions involving possible financial gain, by not responding to emotional contextual cues in the same way as controls (see Tateno 2013 and De Martino et al. 2008). People with schizophrenia are also less vulnerable to a statistically normal but irrational tendency to gamble when faced with a certain loss (Brown et al. 2013) [quote from the article, emphasis added]- Read more at: The OUP Blog
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Autistic Brains “Generate 42% More Information While At Rest”
Researchers from the University of Toronto and Case Western Reserve University found that autistic brains generate more information while at rest than neurotypical brains. The scientists used brain scanning technology to measure the difference, and they postulate that it explains why autistics tend to be withdrawn. If the brain is busy processing information while ‘idling’, it may not be able to cope with additional external stimuli. This conclusion supports the “Intense World Theory” of autism. Read more at Medical Daily.
Why Your Memories Are Wrong
Probiotics Alleviate Autism-Like Symptoms in Mice
Many autistics also suffer from intestinal problems, such as poor digestion that fails to absorb some nutrients and allows toxins to enter the bloodstream. Researchers at Caltech explored the link between gut issues and autism by inducing autism-like symptoms in mice (by giving their mothers a viral infection), then feeding the ‘autistic’ mice probiotics to improve gut function. The mice showed improvement in their mental symptoms, suggesting that some forms of autism may result from imbalanced gut bacteria. The researchers plan to try the same experiment on human subjects; but for the time being, caution against generalising the results of the mice experiment to autism in humans, which may have a variety of causes. Read more about it at EureKalert.
4 Seconds of Silence is Enough to Make a Conversation Awkward
According to researchers in Holland, it only takes four seconds of silence in a conversation for participants to feel a sense of rejection. This is useful to know if you’re autistic, because we have trouble understanding non-verbal cues, and sometimes neglect to make proper eye contact or maintain a consistent flow of conversation. Autistics tend to do better with clearly stated rules like ‘say something within 4 seconds’. Morale of the story – keep talking (focus positively on the other person and ask open-ended questions)! Read more about it at Time.
Can your brain’s feelings hurt your body, too?
Researchers at UCLA have found that social rejection can increase the severity of physical pain. In an experiment in 2006, Dr. Naomi Eisenberger asked subjects to rate the intensity of their physical pain from a standardised heat stimulus, then play a computer game in which some of them experienced social rejection (by being left out of the game by other players). The participants who were left out reported 67% more social distress, and also higher pain ratings on the standardised heat test. Since autistics often suffer social rejection, they may experience physical pain more acutely then the average person. Read more about it at the Lumosity Blog.
Scientists Identify Genetic Markers for Autism
Scientists at the University of California have identified genetic markers that correlate with autism, paving the way for a possible blood test for autism in infants. Early detection and treatment greatly improves the chances of reducing the severity of autism symptoms. Video from Australia’s Network Ten and here’s a news article from abc.net.au.
Deep Brain Stimulation Improves Autistic Boy’s Symptoms
ScienceNews reports that electrical stimulation through electrodes planted deep in the brain of a severely autistic boy appeared to alleviate some of his symptoms:
The boy in the study, who was 13 at the time of his experimental surgery, suffered from severe autism symptoms: He couldn’t talk or make eye contact, woke up screaming repeatedly during the night, and habitually injured himself so badly that his parents restrained him almost constantly to protect him. Multiple rounds of psychiatric drugs failed to stave off his worsening symptoms.
In an effort to help him, doctors led by Volker Sturm of the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany implanted electrodes into the boy’s brain. Through trial and error, the doctors realized that stimulating a part of the amygdala, a brain structure important for emotions and memory, improved the boy’s symptoms. Stimulating other brain areas had no effect or worsened his symptoms.
After eight weeks of continuous electrical stimulation, the boy shifted on a clinical scale that measures irritability from “severely ill” to “moderately ill.” The boy also improved on a scale that measures autism symptoms. He began to make eye contact and was better able to control his behavior.
[Source: ScienceNews]
DESIGN FOR ASD 
