The autistic brain

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I have herd that being on the spectrum (and other specific disorders) is one of the fewish(?) disorders where your brain is literally physically wired much differently than a NT brain. It makes sense as there are of course up sides to being on the spectrum and of course of course downsides.

Were almost aliens eh?

I also read a book by a guy with Aspergers (forget name) and he said he thinks its one of the hardest disorders to try to put into to words what its like, how it feels.

I couldn't agree more with that. I dont like disclosing my aspergers but there has been a few times that friends of friends found out somehow and some of them felt that it was completely fake. Im lucky to be decent socially so from first appearances I can seem NT and a couple people called it BS.

But you all know, If they could only spend one day in our heads.....Its definitely different.

Brain scans with MRI are used to detect autism.
https://autism-center.ucsd.edu/what-cau ... earch.aspx

But I think most people don't believe someone has something if there aren't obvious signs of it. It's like when someone who's appears to be in perfectly good heath gets out of their car parked in a handicap space. But hey, maybe they have an artificial leg which can't bee seen.

I think you would be surprised at the weird things in the heads of everybody. Look at the self help section in a book shop to see what people are scared and insecure about.

The autistic brain shows no gross abnormalities unlike the brain of something with say true brain damage. There are differences here and there but the largest ones are in the limbic system where cells seem to be tightly packed together and the size shrunken, like hard candy. The other differences in our cortex and other areas seem to also not be easy to answer, are they deformed or are they adaptations to failings in other parts of our brain, a rewiring to compensate?
When I first found this out, it really disturbed me, the problem is really skin deep. The brain of a schizophrenic has slight differences harder to detect, but us? It's really really different in there, and unlike damaged brain tissue, there is no damage but immature and deformed development. How can we repair that? By damaging and smashing these parts then repairing it and seeing if that works? Oh god, how can we find the cure if its this bad?

My mistake, I was under the impression one of the defining properties of an aspie is that their brains are physically wired differently, I must have not understood what I read or the writer was simply wrong.

In autism, brain doesn’t ‘prune’ extra synapses

Especially when the brain is young.

This is Courchesne's theory.

It seems as if "irrelevant" synapses aren't gotten rid of.

This is so inherently true. I firmly believe that unless one is specialized in this area and very learned on the subject, that one will never truly understand the struggle of the world that WE live in... Or in some cases, even care to understand. I feel that I am currently facing a situation as to where some individuals truly don't care about my daughter's or my condition.. And it is a living hell... We both have sensory issues (her more so than I), and it's a unique situation that we are facing at this time.. I have found that when you try to spread awareness, and have tried to do so kindly..that you are kicked in the ribs for even existing... It sounds harsh, but it's true....

It is truly a different world living with an Autistic brain....

I'd like to have an MRI scan of my brain just to see what it looks like.

Do you mind if I ask in what relationship these "individuals" are to your daughter? (friend, teacher etc), because in some situations I feel that trying to convince others or spread awareness might not be the best route.

For example say you as the mother have a friend that your close with and have been for a while, she knows you and your daughter and the issues you have from being a close friend. In this case I would expect my friend to at least express the expected sympathy or even just listening that most people would. (which does not really apply to me personally because I dont expect anything from anyone).

The flip side of this is your expectations from people like acquaintances, coworkers, and even teachers to an extent. I wouldn't be so optimistic. The school staff is the only one that might be variable but unless she has a teacher that truly cares (which there are few of) it might just not come.

The hard truth I have learned in life (based on my experiences) is that only a few people will truly care. They may see the condition and even potentially ponder it a little, and express some vocal opinion to make you feel better, but do they really care? I doubt it (usually).

Regardless, my advice is that if you find one single person who does care and helps by even just listening and spending time with you two, you've won the lottery in my mind.

I have 2 close friends care enough to try and understand me and support me, as well as my girlfriend, but other than them I have learned to expect not much.

My advice which may be criticized is to gently teach your daughter that the outside world really does not care, expect nothing but cherish what you get.

Every brain is unique and has differences. Every brain is wired in it's own way (and is constantly changing). Every brain has different areas with greater activity and areas with less activity when compared to any other brain.

Not even then; I have yet to meet a mental professional who has a clue what autism is. I think it is impossible for them to understand our experience, because they don't experience it.
And add to that that autism effects social interaction, I don't think people will ever truly accept us; I think they are offended by our social differences.

"You don't have to be handicapped to be different. Everyone is different!" ~~ Kim Peek.

I have an MRI video of my spine which happens to show the lower parts of my brain around my ears. It looks exactly like any textbook images. Still, it is pretty strange to zoom-in on and around parts of one's own brain.

The individuals are neighbors.. And I've already come to a clean conclusion that I've put far too much faith into people these days for compassion or understanding.. Unfortunate, but true...

Although, I've been married now for a little over 10 years.. To my best friend of 14 years.. Now in that area of life, I do feel that I've won the lottery so to speak.. My wife doesn't have ASD, but does have ADHD.. She however has been the only true person in my life to understand, and knows all of the challenges that come for being..different.. This I have great appreciation, and am very thankful...

I'll tell you how it looks to me: early in brain development, the neurotypicals develop a feedback loop between eyesight and facial muscles. Autistics, for one reason or another, don't.
The whole theory of mind thing is based on that feedback, which operates faster than the 500ms or so that a more developed brain takes to consider inputs and develop responses.
All that is in place by between two and three years of age, and all the rest of personality development rests on that foundation.