Skip to main content

Brains of People with Autism Focus More on Visual Skills - US News and World Report

I have written several times about the "visual" nature of my thought process. This same topic appears in various memoirs by individuals diagnosed with autism. We write about "Thinking in Pictures" and "seeing the shapes of numbers" after being "Born on a Blue Day" (to borrow from two book titles). But why do people diagnosed with ASDs think visually? How does this affect decisions and communications by autistic individuals?

Brains of People with Autism Focus More on Visual Skills - US News and World Report
MONDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- The brains of people with autism concentrate more resources in areas devoted to visual perception, resulting in less activity in areas used to plan and control thoughts and actions, says a new study.

The findings may explain why people with autism have exceptional visual abilities, said the researchers at the University of Montreal.

They analyzed data from 26 brain imaging studies that were conducted over 15 years and included a total of 357 autistic and 370 non-autistic participants.
This research is really a meta-analysis of other studies. The researchers looked at past studies to determine if any generalizations were possible. After "studying the studies" the researchers did indeed find indications that visual areas of the brain are more active, possibly at the expense of other regions of the brain.
The findings offer the "first physiological confirmation that enhanced perceptual processing is a core feature of neural organization in this population," Dr. Laurent Mottron, of the university's Centre for Excellence in Pervasive Development Disorders, said in the news release. "We now have a very strong statement about autism functioning, which may be ground for cognitive accounts of autistic perception, learning, memory and reasoning."
Maybe this helps explain the visual nature of autistic thought in some individual cases?

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments violating the policies of this blog will not be approved for posting. Language and content should be appropriate for all readers and maintain a polite tone. Thank you.

Popular posts from this blog

Autistic Burnout

Summer demands a lot of social energy, especially for parents. For autistics, the never-ending social calendar of summer can cause serious autistic burnout. Host C. S. Wyatt discusses his need to find a balance between social demands and self-care. Check out this episode!
Post a Comment
Read more

Alex Plank and Jenny Palmiotto discuss "An Eventing with Ezra"

The film Ezra follows Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father (Robert De Niro), while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (introducing William Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife (Rose Byrne). Alex Plank, Associate Producer Alex Plank is a trailblazing autistic self-advocate and a pioneering leader in the autistic human rights. As an associate producer of the critically acclaimed movie 'Ezra,' Alex has made significant strides in both behind-the-scenes and on-camera roles. He is a champion of authentic and humanistic representation of autistic individuals in the film industry. With a deep commitment to challenging ableism, Alex advocates for a world where autistic people are valued and respected. This commitment extends to a broader condemnation of ableism in all its forms, with a specific focus on dismantling the barriers within the film industry that marginalize autistic talent and narratives. Jenny Palmiotto – Founder of Love & Aut...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jason Dietrich Neurodiverse STEM Educator

Jason Dietrich, Neurodiverse STEM Educator Originally recorded on 15 September 2023 Jason Dietrich writes: I am interested in increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM as well as building a solid foundation for STEM literacy. Ours is a technology-based society, therefore, I seek to build computational literacy and develop critical thinkers capable of analyzing and integrating data to formulate solutions to complex real-world problems requiring innovation and creativity. I also strive to use innovative, tailored instructional methods, especially for those challenged in mathematics, which is often a barrier to STEM careers. It is critical to make STEM learning more meaningful and inspiring to students. Finally, I am eager to promote STEM engagement activities through NASA’s missions to inspire a diverse future STEM workforce. I am experienced in training and development, global education policy and methods, statistical analysis, curriculum development, and assessment strategi...
Post a Comment
Read more