Blog Archives

Sensory Processing, RDoC, Neuro-Developmental Differences/Disorders & Psychiatric Disorders

5/21/2022

Conjecture

To me, the article to the right on the importance of Sensory Processing in Mental Health goes to CORROBORATE the CONNECTION between NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES affecting SENSORY PROCESSING and MENTAL HEALTH.

I think the RESEARCH is EXPLICITLY making the CONNECTION between NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES / DISORDERS and PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS ---
- It does NOT SEEM that has gone MAINSTREAM

IT HAS A LOT OF IMPLICATIONS.

One of those MANY IMPLICATIONS is that PHYSICAL, SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS are having to be CONSCIOUSLY TAILORED.
- We're often talking "ORCHIDS" --- NOT "DANDELIONS"
  - See Why Orchid

Further, the people who are NOT FITTING INTO our CURRENT CATEGORIES and PATHS are pushing the SOCIETY to recognize:

Many of the the CURRENT CATEGORIES are NOT lining up with REALITY ---
- the DSM 5 is a TREASURE TROVE of INACCURATE CONCEPTUALIZATIONS by BOTH ACTS of COMMISSION and OMISSION.
- BUT beyond that it is going to some of our FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS about HOW the WORLD WORKS and HUMANS WORK.

The RELATIONSHIP between SENSORY PROCESSING and the MICROBIOME is looking COMPLICATED and is one of the things driving the need for PRECISION MEDICINE.
- Could the gut microbiome be linked to autism? - Nature https://www.nature.com › outlook
  
  Jan 29, 2020 -- GABA is a neurotransmitter involved in sensory processing and motor control, and abnormalities in the GABA system have been noted in ...

See The MICROBIOME: Stress, Trauma, the "ANNA KARENINA PRINCIPLE" and Justice.

Some of the most important research involving the MICROBIOME and MENTAL HEALTH has occurred right here in Colorado.

We should be CAPITALIZING on and further EXPANDING this research for the benefit of COLORADANS, people across the US and around the World.
See Also:
- the IMAGINE MICROBIOME PROGRAM in CANADA

The Importance of Sensory Processing in Mental Health:

A Proposed Addition to the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) and Suggestions for RDoC 2.0

(2019)

ABSTRACT

The time is ripe to integrate burgeoning evidence of the important role of sensory and motor functioning in mental health within the National Institute of Mental Health’s [NIMH] Research Domain Criteria [RDoC] framework (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.a), a multi-dimensional method of characterizing mental functioning in health and disease across all neurobiological levels of analysis ranging from genetic to behavioral. . . .

Sensory &/or Information Overload -- Are Psychiatric Symptoms a Secondary Symptom

Migraines, Sensory Processing, Neuro-Diversity & Psychiatric Disorders

Sensory Processing in ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Giftedness & Psychiatric Disorders

Neuro-Diversity, Sensory Processing & Mental Health

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

Florence & the Machine
Free

"The Feeling Comes So Fast --- I Cannot Control It"

Multiple Diagnoses Are the Norm With Mental Illness and a New Genetic Study Explains Why

5/16/2022

Multiple Diagnoses Are the Norm With Mental Illness and a New Genetic Study Explains Why

More than half of people diagnosed with one psychiatric disorder will be diagnosed with a second or third in their lifetime. About a third have four or more.

Our findings confirm that high comorbidity across some disorders in part reflects overlapping pathways of genetic risk,” said lead author Andrew Grotzinger, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.

The finding could ultimately open the door to treatments that address multiple psychiatric disorders at once and help reshape the way diagnoses are given, he said.

“If you had a cold, you wouldn’t want to be diagnosed with coughing disorder, sneezing disorder and aching joints disorder,” Grotzinger said.

University of Colorado at Boulder

May 10, 2022

Summary: Study reports an overlap between genetic architecture and co-morbid mental health diagnosis. Researchers found 70% of the genetic signals associated with schizophrenia were also linked to bipolar disorder. Anorexia and OCD have a strong, shared genetic architecture.

Source: University of Colorado

Understanding the SIGNIFICANCE of these findings goes to STANDARD of CARE.

Neuro-Diversity is a GREAT BIG BIOLOGICAL TENT ---

5/14/2022

CONJECTURE

Ultimately, this is really about how individual biologies interact with individual environments --- That's Robert Sapolsky's "Behave --- The Biology of Humans at their Best and Worst."

Neuro-Diversity is a little bit narrower category than that --- BUT it keeps getting bigger.

Categories

Neuro-Diversity started out referring to people with Autism ---- and it has continued to EXPAND.

The National Institute of Mental Health in 2013 recognized that ADHD, Autism, Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia shared common genes and there seemed to be some COMMON MECHANISMS such as disruptions in CALCIUM CHANNELS.

Now --- MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION or other source of DEVELOPMENTAL INFLAMMATION such as CHILDHOOD TRAUMA are COMMON MECHANISMS behind Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders.

This CONNECTION between Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders is pushing our understanding BEYOND that of the DSM 5.

One of the reasons that there are so many LATE DIAGNOSES of ADHD and AUTISM is because many people are NOT NEATLY "PATTERN MAPPING" to current ADHD and AUTISM symptom clusters.

BUT they have some type of BURNOUT or series of BURNOUTS and lo and behold may have a lot of those symptoms that they had been MASKING or were not as obvious for other reasons.
ADHD and Autistic BURNOUT are big topics because a lot of people with LATE DIAGNOSIS have SUFFERED A LOT and want to bring this OUT IN THE OPEN.

In fact, now ADHD and AUTISM are viewed as quite BLURRED. AND that is a BIG KEY ---- ADHD and AUTISM that many would see as DISTINCT OPPOSITES are in fact BLURRED.

The RELATIONSHIP between Neuro-Developmental Differences and Disorders and Psychiatric Disorders is a lot CLOSER than the Neuro-Diverse Community feels comfortable with now --- BUT it is really a BLESSING in DISGUISE because it is the KEY to:

getting out of LATE DIAGNOSIS
getting out of DSM Symptom Clusters
and recognizing underlying BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS

Sensory Processing in ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Giftedness and Psychiatric Disorders

5/12/2022

Conjecture

I'm using CATEGORIES like "ADHD," "Autism," "Gifted" and "Schizophrenia" --- even though the CATEGORIES do NOT appear to be FUNDAMENTAL.

Rather, there seem to be Wide, Individual DIFFERENCES --- BUT common "BROAD CONSEQUENCES" and "UNDERLYING BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS ACROSS CATEGORIES"

One of those BROAD CONSEQUENCES is Differences in SENSORY PROCESSING.

Now if I'm more sensitive to the ENVIRONMENT --- I'm going to be more sensitive to "BAD" and "GOOD" ENVIRONMENTS.

Sensory processing disorders (SPD) are associated to difficulties in regulating emotions and behaviours as well as motor abilities in response to sensory stimulation that lead to impairment in development and functioning. It is estimated that SPD affect 5–16% of school-aged children.
EW0326 Sensory processing disorders and psychopathology

ADHD sensory overload: Causes, treatment, and more
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com › articles › adhd-se...

Sep 20, 2021 -- Sensory overload can occur as a symptom in people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sensory overload occurs when one or ...
‎Sensory overload · ‎ADHD and sensory overload · ‎Symptoms · ‎Summary

Sensory Processing and Sensory Integration in Individuals (w/ Autism)...
https://www.carautismroadmap.org › sensory-processin...

Aug 15, 2016 -- Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty processing and integrating sensory information and therefore may react ...

Dyslexics show a difference in sensory processing
https://www.sciencedaily.com › releases › 2016/12

Dec 21, 2016 -- Neuroscientists have discovered that a basic mechanism underlying sensory perception is deficient in individuals with dyslexia, according to ...

Sensory Sensitivities of Gifted Children - ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net › publication › 26288068_S...

They found that the gifted children were more sensitive to their environment than children of average intelligence and that the gifted children were more likely ...

There is evidence that links some mental health disorders with sensory over-responsivity (SOR), a subtype of SPD. Reports of significant SOR in childhood has been associated with adulthood depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, negative emotions, poor self-concept, neuroticism, and inattention.

Sensory Processing Disorder: It's Not… Something You Outgrow

A century of sensory processing dysfunction in schizophrenia
https://www.cambridge.org › european-psychiatry › article

by C Dondé · 2019 · Cited by 7 -- Deficits in sensory processing are now well-established in schizophrenia, and include impairments not only in visual and auditory processing, ...

Voltage-gated calcium currents in human dorsal root ganglion...
https://journals.lww.com › pain › abstract › voltage_gated...

by JE Hartung · 2022 -- Voltage-gated calcium channels in sensory neurons underlie processes ranging from neurotransmitter release to gene expression and remain a ..

National Institute of Mental Health (2013)

Common Genes among ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Depression and Schizophrenia.

Common Problems with Calcium Channels.

What Does Sensory Overload Feel Like? Autism, ADHD, PTSD
https://www.medicinenet.com › article

Oct 20, 2021 -- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ... People with PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder are more prone to experience sensory overload in ...

BURNOUT -- "Autism," "ADHD" and a Population with Greater Levels of Developmental Inflammation

5/5/2022

Conjecture

I keep using the "ADHD" and "AUTISM" CATEGORIES mainly because I don't think they are good CATEGORIES.

We tend to think of them as OPPOSITES
BUT they tend to be very BLURRED
And not only are they BLURRED but they can be and often are BLURRED with other NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES & PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

Things tend to be easier to see in EXTREMES and that is definitely part of it.
- BUT we are MISSING A LOT because many people are just KINDA fitting into some of these SYMPTOM CLUSTERS
  - AND many people --- ARE THE LAST PERSON you would think had these issues UNLESS you had a DETAILED UNABRIDGED VERSION of the person's BIOGRAPHY
  - This is one of many reasons why we need BIOMARKERS.
- FURTHER --- the more the person has been able to successfully "MASK" either consciously, semi-consciously or unconsciously
  - The more they may have created a deceptive MAP for themselves AND
  - People around them AND
  - The Society at large.

Today Show (2019)

Burnout has been declared a legitimate medical diagnosis by the World Health Organization. NBC medical correspondent Dr. John Torres joins TODAY to share its main symptoms and how to treat the condition.

Seattle Children's (2020)

Transition to Adulthood – “My Physical Body and Mind Started Shutting Down”: Autistic Burnout and the Costs of Coping and Passing Published Paper -

“Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left with No Clean-Up Crew”: Defining Autistic Burnout" - https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.108...

ADHD Support Talk Radio

How To Cope and Deal with ADHD Burnout

Dyslexia Connect (2015)

Dyslexia & Fatigue

Translational Medicine Friday