I recently interviewed Dr. Rebecca Shaffer, a clinical psychologist at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Dr. Shaffer has dedicated her career to understanding the unique challenges faced by individuals with autism and Fragile X. Join me as we delve into Dr. Shaffer’s insights on the individualized nature of intervention strategies and the transformative impact of equipping …
Continue reading Empowering Neurodivergent Children: Dr. Rebecca Shaffer on Emotional Regulation
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the world’s largest funder of scientific research, supporting the majority of the biomedical research going on in the United States. In 2023 alone, the NIH spent more than $35 billion on almost 50,000 competitive grants to more than 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 institutions. Unfortunately, this lifeline …
Continue reading Impact of NIH Funding Cuts on Biomedical Research
In the rapidly evolving landscape of autism research and intervention, Dr. Zachary Warren, a clinical psychologist and leading expert at Vanderbilt University, has dedicated nearly two decades to developing systems that promote early detection and support for individuals on the autism spectrum. In this interview, Dr. Warren shares his insights on the transformative potential of …
Continue reading The Role of AI in Autism: Dr. Zachary Warren’s Perspective
Artificial intelligence innovations have taken our society by storm. AI can be used for a variety of things. It can help you craft a title for your paper. It can also give you a recipe for the perfect chocolate chip cookies. But now, researchers are exploring using AI to diagnose individuals with autism. My Initial …
Continue reading Innovative AI Approaches in Autism Diagnosis
Dr. Debra Bercovici’s journey shows the importance of resilience and self-discovery. As a Professor at the University of Toronto, she brings an impressive academic background but beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. Bercovici is a registered psychotherapist, blending scientific expertise with therapeutic practice. Diagnosed with autism at 28, Dr. Bercovici's lived experiences deeply inform her work …
Continue reading Dr. Debra Bercovici on Neurodiversity and Mental Health
As a prominent advocate for sexuality in autism, Amy Gravino has channeled her own frustrating experiences and romantic expertise into her dream job. Amy’s advocacy journey began when she was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (now Autism Level 1) in 1994. Despite challenges associated with her diagnosis, she persevered, earning her degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, …
Continue reading Amy Gravino: Advocating for Autism and Sexuality Awareness
Throughout this academic journey, I haven’t really done much research nor have put much thought into nutrition and how it affects autism characteristics and the other way around. There has been past research that autism has strong associations with behaviors like food selectivity and therefore, inadequate nutritional intake. Fear Response and Food Refusal Most research …
Continue reading Impact of Nutrition on Autism: Understanding Dietary Effects
An article written by Gabriele Barrocas for the Vanderbilt Vanguard Neurodiversity refers to the diversity of human minds due to the infinite differences in neurocognitive functioning within individuals in society. We are all considered neurodiverse in that we all require different demands when it comes to productivity and sociability. However, neurodiverse tends to refer to …
Continue reading Understanding Sexuality in Neurodiverse Populations
SCN1A stands for sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 1 and the gene that encodes this channel is part of a family of genes that provides instructions to make sodium channels, which are essential in cellular signaling. SCN1A in particular encodes a sodium channel called NaV1.1 which is found in the brain. During this past school …
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention defines Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, as a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. It's defined by the National Institute of Mental Health as a neurological and developmental disorder that influences how individuals interact with others. A Response to the Huberman Lab Podcast A couple of …
Continue reading Exploring the Biological Basis of Autism Spectrum Disorder