This episode dives deep into excitatory neurons—the brain’s primary “go” signal—and their outsized role in the Autistic phenotype. We explore how pyramidal neurons, powered by glutamate through AMPA and NMDA receptors, drive lightning-fast information transmission, synaptic hyperplasticity via BDNF, and elevated gamma oscillations (30–80 Hz) in V1, S1, and A1. This overactive excitatory push, paired with reduced parvalbumin and somatostatin inhibition, creates the well-documented E:I imbalance that fuels sensory hypersensitivity, one-trial learning, rigid memory encoding, repetitive behaviors, and the classic distal-connection timing mismatch from early sensory cortices to prefrontal regions.
The Autistic brain gets to the first two stops blazingly fast yet struggles to reach the final destination typical brains arrive at effortlessly.
Inhibition Episodes: https://youtu.be/cjwbog7Rk4c?si=uSaLLNmS5EJLa_iH
https://youtu.be/Oee4L7Vsj4E?si=Y5F2eVudCLhkxNw1
https://youtu.be/PBHVssvoQkM?si=A6SPedQi-Dt-DVO_
E/I https://youtu.be/ETChjRQ0SzQ?si=yIFNovzldwSZRMeT
https://youtu.be/jl0xwjnyXII?si=dmk49CMQo3Uf17ax
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00:00 Excitatory Neurons, Push-Pull System, Parvalbumin Deficiency
03:30 E:I Imbalance, Sensory Hypersensitivity, Repetitive Behaviors
07:00 Pyramidal Neurons, Glutamate, AMPA/NMDA Receptors
10:30 Brain Regions: DLPFC, Anterior Insula, V1 S1 A1
14:00 Amygdala Misnomer, Low Road vs High Road, Emotional Hub
18:30 Receptors: AMPA 1-5ms, NMDA 10-200ms, mGluR Modulatory
22:00 Gamma Oscillations, BDNF Hyperplasticity, Sensory Overload
25:30 Distal Connections, Point-A-to-Point-B Timing Mismatch
29:00 BDNF Critical Period, One-Trial Learning, Rigid Memory
32:30 TRN Dysfunction, Repetitive Behaviors, Corticostriatal Circuit
34:30 Go-Signal vs Stop-Signal, Push-Pull Bowling Bumpers
36:00 Rubenstein & Merzenich 2003, E:I Imbalance Foundation
37:08 Daylight Computer Company, use "autism" for $50 discount
39:32 Chroma Light Devices, use "autism" for 10% discount
42:35 Reviews/Ratings & Contact Info
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGxEzLKXkjppo3nqmpXpzuA
email: info.fromthespectrum@gmail.com
