07-18-2006, 12:34 PM
Gareth Wrote:
When this guy says $40,000 to build a brain model I do have to wonder what drugs he's been testing on himself :lol:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
07-18-2006, 12:34 PM
07-25-2006, 08:15 PM
Quote:
The brain strands or minicolumns of autism patients have more cells, but they are narrower and more densely packed
So first he admit's that autistic's have not only larger craniums, but even higher brain cell density (ie. Autistics pack significantly more neurons than NTs)
Quote:
Armed with this knowledge, Dr. Casanova is ready to begin working on wiping out autism entirely. "Knowing the pathology, what is wrong with the brains of autistic individuals, opens the door to potential strategies that may actually even lead to a cure."
So, they go on to explain that they need to wipe it out...
Humans love the fact their closest relatives - such as Chimps, have smaller brain capacities and densities. They stress the increase in brain capacity time and again and yet now a new strain has appeared that has even greater cranial capacity, they want to wipe it out?
...Homo Sapiens are a *** hypocritical lot
07-25-2006, 11:16 PM
Ryuujin Wrote:
[Humans love the fact their closest relatives - such as Chimps, have smaller brain capacities and densities. They stress the increase in brain capacity time and again and yet now a new strain has appeared that has even greater cranial capacity, they want to wipe it out?
It's like I've always thought - they're scared of us, of what our increased brain capacity might mean *to them* in the long term. If they'd only treat us with a bit of decency, they wouldn't have to be terrified of us - speaking for myself, I just want to live and let live, but I know some of the kids in Lauren's group really *hate* NTs for the treatment they've meted out to them. As an example, there's one whose special interest is biology and chemistry. He's talking about going into medicine when he leaves school with the aim of engineering viral genes. I really wouldn't like to p**s him off any further than he is already.
Alison
07-27-2006, 04:53 PM
With the original article and Dr. Casanova, I don't really think his \"bulking up\" the autistic brain is going to affect behavior the way he plans.
He's so far identified two problems:
1. more neurons in the cortices so that there's longer strands and poorer interneural communication
and
2. smaller neurons
Now, his bulker-upper-- whatever this will be-- will only be able to affect the size of the neurons and not the amount in those long lines of cortical communication. So what will he likely have by this? Still MANY more neurons but BIGGER, which could invariably still disrupt communication and-- who knows-- even create other problems altogether.
If he can't figure some way of stopping autistic development before it starts and affecting both the size and the number of neurons in the cortices, he hasn't got a chance.
I'm curious to get a copy of this research paper of his. I'd like to see what he found with the rest of the brain, more specifically in the nuclei like the Limbic System, etc., since there are clearly differences in those areas as well (what with our anxiety problems, OCDishness, Tourette's comorbidities, motivational and depression problems, etc.).
He's so far identified two problems:
1. more neurons in the cortices so that there's longer strands and poorer interneural communication
and
2. smaller neurons
Now, his bulker-upper-- whatever this will be-- will only be able to affect the size of the neurons and not the amount in those long lines of cortical communication. So what will he likely have by this? Still MANY more neurons but BIGGER, which could invariably still disrupt communication and-- who knows-- even create other problems altogether.
If he can't figure some way of stopping autistic development before it starts and affecting both the size and the number of neurons in the cortices, he hasn't got a chance.
I'm curious to get a copy of this research paper of his. I'd like to see what he found with the rest of the brain, more specifically in the nuclei like the Limbic System, etc., since there are clearly differences in those areas as well (what with our anxiety problems, OCDishness, Tourette's comorbidities, motivational and depression problems, etc.).
07-28-2006, 04:15 PM
Ilja Wrote:
Hello Sophist, All, ici Ilja:
I added the ftp-link with the copy of this research paper in pdf-format under the copy of my correspondence with him (in my previous reply). It's pretty technical IMO & 25 pages long.
Have fun with it, I'll be busy trying to invite him to explain it here himself.
Ilja
_\\//
I added the ftp-link with the copy of this research paper in pdf-format under the copy of my correspondence with him (in my previous reply). It's pretty technical IMO & 25 pages long.
Have fun with it, I'll be busy trying to invite him to explain it here himself.
Ilja
_\\//
I don't seem to see it (the pdf). Am I blind? (Sorry, still morning, not quite awake.) Would you mind reposting the link? (I wish my printer were working; I'd print out all 25 pages.)
07-28-2006, 04:18 PM
Oops, nevermind. Brain starting to function properly. I see what you mean. :smile:
PS- Is there a pdf print-out of his cited works? I always like to get those, too, if possible.
PS- Is there a pdf print-out of his cited works? I always like to get those, too, if possible.
07-28-2006, 09:33 PM
You wouldn't care to share what exactly you're thinking of using as a \"bulker-upper\" for these neurons would you? Or would that be giving away too much too soon?
Or how you ruled out confounding variables of all the serious comorbid disorders that you say the autistics in your hospital's care tend to have? (I'm assuming this is where you got the bodies to autopsy, right?) Have you done further autopsies or looked up past findings on those comorbid disorders alone?
Just curious. :smile:
Or how you ruled out confounding variables of all the serious comorbid disorders that you say the autistics in your hospital's care tend to have? (I'm assuming this is where you got the bodies to autopsy, right?) Have you done further autopsies or looked up past findings on those comorbid disorders alone?
Just curious. :smile:
07-30-2006, 01:01 AM
Ilja Wrote:
Just finished yesterday the pdf proposal. I like the idea of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) & repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). I think I can explain a little bit how it works to Sophist who stated specific questions about this technique, in common English as far as I'm able as a Dutchmen. ;-)
No, I've heard of it. :smile: I was just assuming the approach would be something more like... synthetic, drug-wise, when the article spoke of \"bulking up\" the neurons.
From what little I remember of this having read about it a couple years ago, doesn't this technique not have exactly the longest lasting of effects? If so, would this be something more of a continuous therapy and would it ever foster dendritic growth and alter GABA production via greater receptivity?
Dr. Casanova, I am still reading through the research article posted (slow-going because I'm out of printer ink and it's hard for me to read off the computer screen), so I don't know if your article will eventually get to this... but did you notice any similar abnormalities in the nuclei of the brain of autistics from those autopsies? I've noticed your focus has largely been on the cortices and since there's definitely rumored of limbic system abnormalities in OCD and Tourette's which occur so frequently with ASDs, have you found any neuroanatomical abnormalities there?
Also, again your article may go into this, but were there certain areas of the neocortex that were more or less affected? (In particular, I'm curious about the temporal and parietal lobes since those are particular favorites of mine :smile: .)
07-30-2006, 07:10 PM
Manuel F. Casanova Wrote:
This may explain why functions that need inter-areal integration (e.g., language, face recognition, joint attention) appear affected while others that emphasize intra-areal connectivity are spared or improved (e.g., visual discrimination, mathematical abilities).
Are these areas of intra-areal connectivity fairly consistant as to which are intra- and which are inter? My reason on asking this is simply my own experience. I have a splinter skill in recognizing faces, even faces which have changed greatly either through age or much make-up/costuming, better than most other people I have met. In my case, I have gone to the complete opposite of Prosopagnosia and have instead a heightened \"prosognosia\".
True, I've met more people online and in life who have an ASD who have either Prosopagnosia or some lighter variation of it with lesser difficulties-- so more often we have problems with this function. But I have met a few others like myself online who seem to have above average skills in recognizing faces.
I was just wondering if this might point toward an inconsistency in intra- vs. inter-areal connectivity for that area in the right temporal which is dominant for this function?
An aside: I'm very good at recognizing visual stimulus in general (although not eidetic).
08-01-2006, 02:37 AM
Manuel F. Casanova Wrote:
All of our results are based on averaging series. The same do not account for individual variability. Thank you for asking.
Well, I'm more wondering if particular functions are consistantly intra-circuit or inter-circuit in all brains in order to be carried out or if there is variability person to person, which could account for why certain autistics have a deficit in a particular function whereas others have a talent in it.
08-02-2006, 04:53 PM
Manuel F. Casanova Wrote:
The question is interesting and has only been answered recently. Traditionally the belief was that brain circuitry was fixed. However, recent imaging studies has shown patients and controls using different brain areas in performing the same tasks. Also, in patients with brain injuries (e.g., stroke) a given area function may be subverted for use in another capacity. Overall, the brain is highly adaptable and even during aging exibits remarkable plasticity with different areas growing or shrinking depending on usage. This can be seen in the area of the motor cortex that serves finger movement in people practicing playing musical instruments. This is a long answer just to say that you are correct in assuming individual variability and a link to splinter/savant skills.
As an aside--I have a publication on the subject where I did an analysis of the brains of several highly distinguished scientists and found minicolumnar changes consistent with the findings in our autistic series.
At present the publication has been submitted but is not in press. Thank you for asking.
As an aside--I have a publication on the subject where I did an analysis of the brains of several highly distinguished scientists and found minicolumnar changes consistent with the findings in our autistic series.
At present the publication has been submitted but is not in press. Thank you for asking.
Oooh!!! Did you get ahold of part of Einstein's brain?
Also, could you maybe let us know when that comes to press and which journal/edition? I'd like to see if I could get ahold of a copy of it. :smile:
08-04-2006, 02:12 PM
Manuel F. Casanova Wrote:
Oh boy did I try and try I did! I went to Canada and visited a friend who had a piece of the same. For many reasons I had no luck. I also tried getting brains from renowned individuals from both Cornell and the Vogt collection in Russia (you can find more about them from a popular book titled Postcards from the Brain Museum by Brian Burrell). Similarly, a great effort gone to waste, no luck.
Awwww... too bad about Einstein. That woulda been awesome. :grin:
And upon your recommendation, I just ordered that book. (Looks really good.)
Dr. Casanova Wrote:
I have not received the criticisms from our submission but I would gladly send you a copy of the manuscript if you email me directly (m0casa0@louisville.edu).
I'll definitely email you. :smile:
Dr. Casanova Wrote:
I have enjoyed my participation immensely. At present I will have to leave and hide in my academic responsibilities. Two grant datelines (both in regards to autism), my commitment to our IRB, and being a single parent are taking a stranglehold on my time. Otherwise I wish to keep in touch with many of the participants. Please feel free to email me directly. You have all been very kind.
I've enjoyed it, too. Thanks for talking with us.
08-11-2006, 03:43 PM
Lili Wrote:
How the hell, Dr Casanova, can you guarantee that "fixing" any hyper-excitability in the brain will not impair general intelligence or specific skills?
I don't think he could. Obviously whatever makes for poor inter-communication ALSO makes for good intra-communication.
But at least he can specify a smaller target area with that TMS. I hope he's got good aim... --although, I wouldn't mind him taking the TMS to my left language centers. They're not the greatest and I wouldn't mind improvement of functioning in those.
Verbal eloquence is not my forte and I wish I were better at it and didn't stumble and bumble and search for words so much.
08-13-2006, 03:18 PM
Lili Marlene Wrote:
Sophist wrote
Quote:
Obviously whatever makes for poor inter-communication ALSO makes for good intra-communication.
Actually, I hadn't thought of it that way. It's an interesting thought.
Quote:
Verbal eloquence is not my forte and I wish I were better at it and didn't stumble and bumble and search for words so much.
From what I've read, that searching for words that you describe, which I know some of the most talkative aspies can have significant problems with, is pretty much the same as the effect of acquired brain damage in some language areas of the brain. I really doubt that it could be fixed by any targeted treatment, as if this were possible I think the scientists would have already figured out an effective treatment, and no one would be left with no speech after a stroke.
Yeah, it's definitely a very very mild aphasia. But it's developmental in nature rather than brain damage after the fact.
Like he was saying, the language centers require an incredible amount of that inter-communication (which our brains aren't so hot with) so it makes sense that all of us, to varying degrees, have language problems even if only mildly.
Nevertheless, if his TMS could work on improving communication, I wouldn't mind him having a go on my language centers. From what I can tell, I don't have anything too special over there anyways, so improvement would be improvement after all-- provided there would be no effects anywhere else in my brain. I like my right hemisphere...
08-13-2006, 03:21 PM
Hmmm... on second thought, instead of playing god with something we don't know enough about, and since everybody's got their individual problems, nobody's perfect, I think I'll keep my brain as it is, stumbling, bumbling and all.