I’m Ryan, and I have Autism. From the Spectrum: Finding Superpowers with Autism is a podcast about Autism. I am on a mission to explain Autism. Autism emerges in human evolution as a biological adaptation, possibly through neuroplasticity, responding to environmental shifts that harness light’s energy for life. Maybe people fail to understand how living organisms use the energy from light to drive biochemistry and organize our biology. For each episode, we discuss various aspects of Autism.
A large part of this process is what I call the Autism DOJO — the intense deep dives, mental battles, constant questioning, and disciplined learning that go into understanding these topics and building each episode. At times, we cover what can seem like complex biology and especially neuroscience, but I hope to deliver it in a way that is easy to understand by using simple analogies and visual ways of thinking to bring the ideas together.
Lastly, thank you for listening to From the Spectrum podcast. Here is my link to explore the topics and episodes: From the Spectrum Podcast
An Overlooked Distinction of Autism and ADHD: These are Two Different Conditions
Episode 23
Monday, September 2, 2024 • Duration 41:26
In this episode, we challenge the modern trend of Autism and ADHD comorbid diagnosis. We will use children from Kanner and Asperger to show these so-called ADHD symptoms are simply parts of the Autistic Phenotype. However, society finds it easier to lump these two conditions together, and we question why. We review both, the inattentive criteria and the hyperactivity and impulsivity of ADHD and explain when the Autistic phenotype exhibit these conditions.
The criteria for ADHD are downstream behaviors seen across multiple reasons and act as a collect-all. I did not say ADHD does not exist, but I do say Autism and ADHD existing simultaneously seems unlikely if you really understand the phenotypes. Might it just be easier for society to lump these together instead of challenging the differences?
B.3 and Inattention are complete opposites. Hyperactivity and Impulsivity can show up when anyone is in the wrong or horrible environment.
0:00 Intro; Brief Note on how environmental signals such as electromagnetic fields (EMF, i.e., Light) informs the genes on how to respond, and how disease manifests
2:51 Autism and ADHD; Neurodiversity; and some problems in society
7:58 Core of Autism- B.3, and Donald Triplett example; B.2 and Social Communication
13:27 Autistic Phenotypes
19:01 ADHD Phenotypes
21:41 Specifiers and Lumping Contrasting Phenotypes
33:18 Medication and ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) Rant
Jonathan Mitchell: Senior Citizen Autistic, Author, and Advocate Challenging the Status Quo of Research and Neurodiversity
Episode 22
Monday, August 26, 2024 • Duration 55:54
My guest today is Jonathan Mitchell. Jonathan is a senior citizen Autistic, Author of numerous novels and blogs, and stands up for the purpose of Autism. His blog, Autism Gadfly, provides perspectives of Autism otherwise not considered by the lay-public or researchers in Autism. Jonathan's views have been mentioned in Newsweek, NPR, Autism Daily Newscast, and HuffPost.
Jonathan was born in 1955 in Los Angeles. We discuss his experience at an early age including psychoanalytic therapy, psychological assessment, and troubles through education. Eventually, Jonathan and his family learned about Autism while on a trip to the East. Jonathan faced many challenges through his education in different schools beginning in kindergarten. However, Jonathan graduated from UCLA with a bachelors of arts in psychology.
We also discuss challenges in professional and personal life as an adult where he faced various barriers. In the early 2000s, when the internet allowed for different communication platforms, Jonathan began to call out things wrong in Autism. In addition, he carries a loud voice for a cure/treatment for Autism. Recently, you can find him on X as he continues to be a voice for the Autistic community.
The Roles of Oxytocin and Vasopressin in the Autistic Phenotype
Episode 13
Monday, June 24, 2024 • Duration 39:16
In this episode, we explore Oxytocin and Vasopressin's vast roles in Human Biology. We time travel to cover the evolution of the two molecules and learn about their functions with developing and socializing. Oxytocin and Vasopressin are dynamic molecules whereby they are Peptides and Hormones. In addition, we cover previously discussed brain regions and how the molecules work alongside key Neuromodulators like Serotonin and Dopamine.
Dr. Catherine Lord: The Evolution of Autism Assessment, Challenges with Understanding the Spectrum of Autism, and Barriers in the Medical and Education Systems for Autism
Episode 12
Monday, June 17, 2024 • Duration 51:39
In this episode, we discuss Autism with Dr. Catherine Lord. Dr. Lord is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Education at UCLA and one of the foremost researchers in Autism. Dr. Lord provides tremendous insights into her roles in Autism and Autism Assessment.
Dr. Lord discusses her journey into Autism, the evolution of the Assessment including the ADOS growing from her basement and being overran by demand to the Gold Standard, the Challenges with understanding the Spectrum, updates on the Lancet Commission and Profound Autism, and Barriers in the Medical and Educational Systems.
Autism and Adaptive Responses, and exploring the mPFC, ACC, and Insula
Episode 11
Monday, June 10, 2024 • Duration 36:33
In this episode, we explore three regions associated with social awareness- the medial Prefrontal Cortex, the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, and the Insula. We review the functions of each, the interactions between each region, and the inputs and bi-directional connections to some crucial areas of the brain. In large part, we will review adaptive responses and cover some scientific literature on these regions and the implications to Autism.
In this episode, we discuss biology of anxiety, responses from anxiety, and common situations causing anxiety with Autism. The stress response system of the body is very finite and the nervous system reflexively responds based on what it knows. A few biological components of anxiety include the amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and the spine. Common responses to anxiety include avoidance, shifts in physiology, and valance, or how we feel about the situation. To end, we have a lengthy discussion on some common sources of anxiety.
(3:42) Biology and responses of Anxiety; Amygdala and Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis; Avoidance, Physiology, Valance
Autism and Employment
Episode 9
Monday, May 27, 2024 • Duration 32:20
In this episode, we cover Autism and employment- some Superpowers and some Superdeficits. We discuss different types of work that are easier and fit our abilities and cover some challenges in the workplace. Some challenges include the social dynamic and being misunderstood, which are driving forces and sources of burnout and avoidance. Remember the metabolic "bank" account and the Excitation/Inhibition discussion.
(0:00) Intro; Clip of Sir Simon Baron-Cohen on Brain Science with Dr. Ginger Campbell; Society's trap and time perception
(6:20) Autism and awareness; Do others see or understand our abilities
(9:12) The applying process and the interview- we hate look at me; Superdeficits are easier to remember; Honesty and accuracy and Employers don't have an accurate comparison
(12:39) Understanding the Autistic Brain
(14:25) Autistic Traits - some Superpowers
(21:20) Autistic Traits - some Superdeficits
(28:43) Good and Bad: Perfectionism- a tough balance
(30:42) Do things that you can do, you will do, and you love to do; The Nervous System just does; See Temple Grandin and Sir Simon Baron-Cohen on types of employment for different types of Autistic Brains
Autism and Education
Episode 8
Sunday, May 19, 2024 • Duration 40:53
In this episode, we discuss Autism and Education. We explore some current condition within education and some personal experiences. Specifically, the school day is in complete conflict with Autism- both Criteria A and B. This is the primary factor with the challenges of Autism in Education. The classroom requires a Social Dynamic, a Speech and Language Dynamic, and Sensory-Processing Dynamic, which is 3 strikes against Autism. In addition, the subject switching throughout the school day complicates our path of learning- Our learning style prefers spending extended times on a single subject. Autism gives us the ability to be comfortable within ourselves and this accelerates our learning, our Superpowers. School and the world mostly requires the social communication and interaction.
(0:00) Intro; Autism and Education; Are Educators educated on Autism?; Biases from others towards the environment
What is Autism: Part 2 of Criteria B: Will the so-called normal people accept our "differences," or Not?
Episode 7
Friday, May 10, 2024 • Duration 23:54
Criteria B is Autism. Hans Aspergers called the children with the syndrome "little professors." This is Autism. Our routines and fixated interests. Autism gives us the ability to be comfortable within ourselves, and this accelerates our abilities, our Superpowers. How will society handle these so-called "differences" and the conflict within the so-called "normal" people?
In this episode, we expand to real-life examples of Criteria B components and review some personal experiences.
(0:00) Intro; Autism is Criteria B, how will society handle "differences," those differences create conflict in others, stimulus-response, conflict, and comfort
(4:44) Routines (B2) and Plans, Exact Planning, Plan versus Actual Time and Execution, Reality meets our Visualized Thinking; Pleasure and Pain SeeSaw; More Relationship Struggles Implicated by Criteria B,
(9:01) Punctual- for others and ourselves; Bias yourself into Action; Understanding the need for Breaks; Others take the easy way out; get Sunlight for our Biology
(12:34) Personal Experience and a Glimpse into an Autistic Thought; Traffic Spacing
(16:33) Researching Items and Fixated Interests (B3); personal experience; Hans Aspergers and his Little Professors- This is Autism!
(20:40) Other examples- Pant Sizes and Alpha instead of Numerical, Restaurant Rant, Never Underestimate a Human's Capacity to Think; Don't try to change Autism because it is offends you- offends your expectations and beliefs
What is Autism: Part 2 of Criteria A- Can you fit in, or Not? Are you like the so-called "normal" people, or Not?
Episode 6
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 • Duration 27:35
Don't try to change an Autistic Person because they are "different" than you.
In this episode, we explore more examples of Criteria A- Deficits in Social Communication and Interaction. Yay, more DSM-5-TR. Can you fit in, or not? Are you like the so-called "normal" people, or not? This episode is highlighted by personal experiences and examples. Plus, I have three jokes. The examples and episode is not exhaustive, however, I try to capture some of the conditions on the spectrum. There are lots of examples in our social world that just does not make sense, and we like to say, "that does not make sense."
See Jack Kruse, Quantum Engineering 45
(0:00) Introduction; Crude Symptoms intend to capture the Spectrum; Can you fit in, or not? Are you like the so-called normal people, or not?
(2:08) Facts and Reality over Make-Believe; Methodical and Seeing Bottlenecks in Society- I hate "that's just the way it is"; Traffic; Names- Landon?, Associations; Repeating things- I hate, "like I said."
(7:09) "This does not make Sense"; Romantic Interests and Joke 1; Verbal Responses; Task-Switching from Fixated Interests; Sound Blends
(11:44) Social Media Use- Strange; Eye-Contact- Humans say we need to do it, and We are not Birds; Leaving Social Gatherings and Joke 2, the gathering will gather without me
(15:32) High-Fives = Stereotypy?; I hate Favors- favors create conflict; Henry David Thoreau; Self-Checkout Lanes and Autism, Neuroplasticity and Preference; Emotional Empathy
(20:04) Debriefing and Understanding; Supplementing Relationships and Visual Thinking; Joke 3 and Fixated Interests and Perfect Intensity- the DSM can have it's "abnormal" label; Echolalia; Fitting In and Modeling as a Blueprint
(26:03) Wrap-Up; Don't try to change an Autistic Person because They are "different" than you; Contact Information
(3:22) Dr. Lord's journey into Autism and Recognizing a Spectrum
(11:25) The Evolution of Autism Assessment and Discussion on the ADI and ADOS- from making the ADOS in her Basement and being Overran by Demand to the Gold Standard; Revisions of Assessment Instruments
(16:36) Gaps in the Autism Assessment
(23:15) The Challenges with Understanding the Spectrum of Autism
(29:32) Updates on the Lancet Commission and Profound Autism
(35:19) Barriers with Autism and the Medical Field
(39:29) Barriers with Autism and Education- Four Strikes against the Autistic Phenotype: Sensory-Processing, Speech and Language, Social Communication/Interaction, and Subject Switching (understand B3: Fixated Interests)
(44:25) The Future of Autism and Helping Autistics Across the Life Span
(12:27) Physiology/Breathing (Body)- Parabrachial Nucleus; Physiological Sigh; Brainstem, Spine, and Body
(17:48) Valance (Feelings)- Ventral Tegmental Area; direct or indirect exposure- it doesn't matter
(20:00) Dopamine, Neuroplasticity, Side note on Testosterone, Multiple words have the same meaning
(24:58) Common situations for Anxiety and Autism
(35:58) Wrap Up, Reviews and Ratings, Contact Info
(31:38) Reviews and Ratings; Contact Information
(7:00) The Prescription Era; Medication first Paradigm
(10:32) The School Day- Conflicts with Criteria A and B; Limits a Capacity to Think; Underlying thoughts and feelings of agitation and frustration when learning;
(13:15) Autism gives us the ability to be comfortable within ourselves; Are we like the so-called normal people, or not?
(13:39) The Classroom- Social Dynamic, Speech and Language Dynamic, Sensory-Processing Dynamic, 3 strikes against Autism;
(14:39) Subject Switching and Criteria B conflict
(17:14) If you have met one child with Autism, you have met one child with Autism
(17:49) Elementary School, 2 reasons why Reading is HARD, Social dynamic experience;
(23:07) 4th Grade personal experience- easy task from the outside, tremendous difficulty for Autistics;
(27:00) Art was fine, other subjects were not fine; Details to General versus General to Details;
(27:58) High School personal experiences; Pathway to Success > General Education;
(29:52) Did I graduate, or Not?
(31:56) SAT
(32:43) Assessment Superpowers and Superdeficits- Very Superior to Severe/Impaired; Schools simply cannot accommodate to all- within group (Autistic to Autistic) or between group (Autistic to Masses)
(36:34) Education Arrangement; Taking Notes is challenging
(39:16) Wrap Up, Reviews, Ratings, Feedback, Contact Information
(23:12) Reviews and Ratings and Contact Information
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