Dr. Karen Parker: The Causes & Treatments for Autism

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In this episode, my guest is Dr. Karen Parker, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the Social Neurosciences Research Program at Stanford University School of Medicine. We discuss the biology of social connections and bonding in babies, children and adults. Dr. Parker explains our current understanding of autism and autism spectrum disorders: what they are, why the incidence of autism has increased so dramatically in recent years and both the current and emerging treatments for autism. We also discuss the condition formerly called “Asperger’s.” This episode ought to be highly relevant for anyone interested in child and human development, how social bonds form, and to those curious about autism and other spectrum conditions.

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Dr. Karen Parker

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Karen Parker
00:01:30 Sponsors: Eight Sleep, LMNT & Aero Press
00:06:25 Autism, Frequency, Diagnosis
00:10:41 Early Interventions; Heritability & Autistic Traits
00:13:00 Autistic Spectrums; Studying Autism
00:21:29 Environment, Risk Factors & In Utero Development
00:29:55 Sponsor: AG1
00:31:26 Oxytocin, Vasopressin, Social Behavior & Parent-Child Bonding
00:43:24 Oxytocin in Humans; Social Features of Autism, Intranasal Oxytocin
00:54:14 Sponsor: InsideTracker
00:55:16 Oxytocin & Autism; Benefit & Risks
01:06:30 Neuroplasticity & Autism; Early Intervention; Challenges of Early Diagnosis
01:14:30 MDMA & Autism
01:17:05 Vasopressin, Social Interaction; Voles & Parenthood
01:27:07 Human Social Connection, Oxytocin Levels & Autism
01:33:45 Primate Model of Social Impairment
01:42:47 Preclinical Animal Models, Mouse & Primates
01:47:11 Primates, Biomarkers & Social Connection; Vasopressin
01:52:20 Vasopressin Levels & Autism, Children & In Utero
02:03:06 Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) & Vasopressin; Urination; Alternative Therapies
02:10:32 Intranasal Vasopressin, Children, Autism & Social Responsiveness
02:19:15 Vasopressin & Social Connection, Mechanism & Future Studies
02:26:35 Gut Microbiome & Vasopressin; Scientific Funding
02:34:52 Vasopressin Pathways, Social Behavior, Autism
02:43:00 Vaccine Theory & Autism; Immunology
02:54:06 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab #Science #Autism

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I have Autism. While the episode was educational I was a bit let down by the guest of this episode. I felt she focused too much on the clinical side of it and not on some of the ways Autism could manifest itself(Masking, meltdowns, stimming, ect.) or ways for Autistic people to help themselves. I would be interested in an episode focused on Autism with Dr. Paul Conti as a guest or someone that actually works with Autistic patients

That_One-Potatoe
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Autistic adult here! Podcast was interesting. Although it felt a little one dimensional in perspective. Something I think is missing from many clinical studies of autism is the autistic experience from the perspective of the person with the autism. Autism is so much more than social ineptness. She did mentioned this briefly. Sensory issues, how we process and perceive the world around us, special interests, masking, meltdowns, anxiety, stimming, self-regulation, etc. Even just how we approach social situations isn’t from disinterest, but from a different perspective and communication style altogether. Many of the clinical studies focus on the social aspect of it because that’s what benefits non-autistic parents and peers who are looking from the outside and feel like they can’t connect with us. But it doesn’t advocate for people who actually have the condition and have a lot of things they need to cope with day-to-day. Karen’s research has been done largely with animal trials and when done with humans it was very very small trials (less than 50 kids involved last I kept up with it). And in these studies the person reporting on the affects of the trial were the parents observing and not the kids. As she said in the podcast, she is interested in helping ‘parent stakeholders’ but it would be good to hear from the stakeholders who have the condition. Interested to see how the research holds up or develops with larger trials, more time, and more insight from the patients themselves.

Also the diagnostic material is largely white-male biased. A lot of females with autism don’t present as socially impaired as others. And under diagnosis is higher in females and especially in people of color. Autism research has a dark history going back to the holocaust when they thought only males could have it and only did research on white males… which is necessary to acknowledge when speaking of increased diagnosis in modern day.

Curious to hear some of these clinical trials from the perspective of and autistic person. For me, when I worked to increase social cognition it made me more prone to anxiety, masking, stress and consequently meltdowns. But people saw it as a success because I was ‘less socially awkward’. However I experienced more burnout and stress and less stamina than when I didn’t mask. I now have plenty of friends who don’t expect me to mask my autistic traits but who spent the necessary time to bridge the communicative gaps and these relationships are thriving. I think it would be beneficial to have more research focuses on closing that gap in communication between different neurotypes, since as mentioned in the progress, it doesn’t go away with age.

I’ve noticed a difference when I listen to specialist who are themselves autistic or work closely with autistic patients/family. and they tend to be more concerned about the well-being of the autistic community rather than merely addressing symptomology.

I’ve now had the opportunity to work with neurodivergent individuals and their parents and have helped bridge that gap in a away that helped both sides of the relationship. This is missing from a lot of clinical research

caylabradley
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“Services for autistic people” is more apt than “treatment for autism”

Also, I imagine the people that “outgrow” their autism are either masking very effectively or were misdiagnosed/actually had trauma.

stephenie
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I am autistic and wasn't diagnosed till 18 because I always did well in school, it was only when a lot of mental health problems showed up and typical treatment didn't work that autism was discussed. I have also worked as a support worker for young people with autism and I have to say most of the problems others and myself have faced has been from the outside world trying to force us to fit a mould we are not meant to. My social anxiety has improved drastically since understanding autism because it made me feel so much better about myself, I am not broken and don't need to do things the way everyone else does- finding new ways yo do things instead of beating myself up has been immensely helpful. Self esteem plays a big part- if you grow up with everyone telling you you're broken or wrong, you're not going to get on well but since changing my perspective to view neurodiversity as causing individual strengths and weaknesses just like anyone else has been helpful for me, meaning I can properly address any issues I'm facing without feeling like a defective human. Love to all neurodiverse folks (and the rest of you too lol) 😊

ellahopkinson
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Dr Hubernan, I hope you might extend your scope of interest to also talking about autistic adults who have long since missed the critical window of intervention and who are living with autism and the devastating consequences of social impairment. Meaningful therapies and in fact even having access to a psychiatrist or psychologist is a worldwide issue and I believe this topic would be embraced by a segment of society who are largely otherwise ignored. The stats on life expectancy and suicide for people with autism back up the need for these conversations.

Violetta
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I have a few issues with what she said regarding whether adults can be diagnosed with autism, whether someone can “grow out of” an autism diagnosis, and the incidence of autism in males vs. the female population. Let me explain.

I listened for about an hour and, sorry, but, I admit I couldn’t even go on after she had the opportunity to acknowledge that adults that were missed in childhood can be diagnosed, too, and she declined (stating that the diagnosis occurs in childhood). This is an unfortunate and prevalent misunderstanding. The DSM-5 has no requirement that diagnosis take place during childhood and there are many adults currently alive that were children when Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 didn’t exist and the closest previous diagnosis (Asperger’s) was not something that was widely enough recognized that all children would have been identified and diagnosed (not to mention our growing understanding of stereotyping and the difference in presentation between males and females leading to under-recognition in females).

Additionally, I think it’s frankly outrageous that she said that someone can outgrow their diagnosis (presumably, through early intervention, learning to heavily mask). The DSM-5 specifically states that autistic symptoms “may be masked by learned strategies in later life, ” and this should not preclude diagnosis. Heavily masking by using learned strategies in early intervention may help autistic children and adults “not seem autistic, ” but this does not mean they have grown a neurotypical brain and grow out of their diagnosis. Neuroplasticity may be amazing, but it can only do so much. While we do not know exactly what causes various neurodivergent expressions in humans, there’s no biological evidence to back up her claim of “growing out of an autism diagnosis.” Conversely, in the absence of biological evidence, we have a tremendous amount of experiential information coming from clinicians and autistic adults themselves that points to neurodivergent conditions like autism being consistent and lifelong experiences.

For someone who has an autistic brain, learning masking techniques that require them to exist in the world in a way that isn’t natural or comfortable for their nervous system can only help so much (in terms of their inner experience and the stress their nervous system is going through). Sure, they can become “high functioning” and “seem normal” but internally they may simply have learned to suppress or dissociate from feelings of nervous system discomfort/distress and their natural inclinations.

For a child with autism who has gone through early behavioral intervention, it could take decades and decades for them to be able to identify and articulate that what they’ve known as “their normal” way of feeling and behaving in the world is actually still taking a tremendous toll on them. On the inside, their experience may not be much different than it would have been without early intervention. The exceptions would be emotional benefits from reduced bullying and techniques to help them learn to deal with emotional dysregulation.

I would hypothesize that many of these “early-intervention kids” could go through their younger years with their autism being masked under the radar, only to experience burnout and difficulty in adulthood when, as the DSM-5 states, “social demands exceed limited capacities.” Many high-functioning autistic adults who were not identified as children, yet learned their own “early intervention” skills due to bullying and their own problem-solving skills, have had this exact experience (ex. in response to workplace demands and/or the demands of having children).

It sounds like she would learn a lot from gaining more experience talking with high-masking adults to understand their lived experience and how someone can meet all DSM-5 criteria for diagnosis (due to pervasive affects in life) even if you can’t easily see it by talking to them or even being friends with them if they haven’t discussed these things with you. I think she would also benefit from talking with some psychologists that specialize in adult autism diagnosis and treatment. It could certainly help with gaining ideas for future research as the insights these two demographics have to offer are worth their weight in gold.

PS — It was also disappointing that she did not at least mention that the data behind autism being more prevalent in males is widely becoming thought of as highly suspect and outdated, due to the historical nature of testing and stereotyping being skewed toward the (most) typical male presentation of autism. She could have at least mentioned that we don’t have good data yet, but the idea of autism being more prevalent in males is something currently being seriously questioned by professionals who work with autistic individuals.

While it’s interesting to hear the research being done from the empirical biomedical side of things, I am disappointed in her overall seeming lack of knowledge of the adult autistic experience (and latest realizations) coming from the perspective of clinical psychologists specializing in adult autism. I hope Andrew will have someone on the podcast that can provide more information about this topic (maybe even a psychologist or psychiatrist with ASD, since they are out there).

PsychActually
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33-year-old here adult diagnosed, and I'm very excited for this episode!

Edit: I'm about a half hour in and so far I'm a bit let down with the guest. I'm just going to speak my mind exactly the way I feel in saying she reminds me of so many people I've dealt with over the years who have been extremely frustrating to communicate with because they simply don't know how to understand someone who's brain is wired differently on any level other than this highly clinical and scientific approach that seems to completely ignore the unique qualities of the autistic mind. Maybe I will feel differently as I continue listening but I was really hoping for something more thought-provoking than this.

When I was diagnosed it was very difficult to navigate at first because every bit of information I was taking in just made me feel worse about myself as I was realizing just how many things I struggle with and it was until I went through therapy about it and started meeting others that were more similar to myself that I started to feel like it was truly okay to be myself and acknowledge that I'm not limited but rather it's just a little more difficult to navigate a world that wasn't designed for a variety of different-minded people.

I hope my response doesn't come across as sounding negative because I'm still very appreciative of this episode, It just wasn't quite the sense of "ah someone who totally gets it" I was deeply hoping for. And perhaps all I was truly hoping for was to hear from someone who has been diagnosed themselves and doesn't come across like they're on the outside looking in.

Edit 2: still with it. Definitely starting to get a little bit better as it goes along. The stuff about oxytocin levels and vasopressin was very interesting to me so I'm glad I stuck with it. I feel like they are cracking a bigger nut open here because the deficit of oxytocin resonates strongly. I think the biggest factor we're not looking at is that the world is becoming more and more difficult to navigate because there's more and more of this artificial man-made stuff adding noise to our signal. That's why I feel the least brain fog in nature.

schumannbeing
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Thank you Andrew and Karen! If I may offer a slightly different perspective, I believe there is actually no LACK OF SOCIAL interest in autism as such. Based on my first-hand observations most (or at least many) individuals with autism are NOT 'asocial', they just cannot function, ie they cannot navigate the complex social environments or engage in social interactions due to upstream problems they have, such as sensory integration or simply brain (or language) processing speed. I personally know several children and adults with autism who CRAVE social interaction and social bonding, but simply cannot keep up and blend with their peers in real time. The outside world is too chaotic for them - neurotypical children play and talk and interact in fast, unpredictable, ever-changing ways. Due to their problems with processing and integrating sensory information from the environment children (or adults) with autism cannot REACT, ie inter-react with other children at the required speed and get left behind. Probably after a while they 'learn' that there is no point in trying. I once closely observed a child with a moderate degree of autism spending outdoor playing time with 20 or so classroom peers. This was not during a school day so it was completely unstructured, not adult-led. Neurotypical children are chaotic and most of the play was VERY fast-changing and without any structure. The child with autism kept trying to understand, and possibly join, other children, but they were just moving too fast from one activity to another. They were talking too fast too. It was sad to watch but it was clear that the child with autism wasn't disinterested but rather simply UNABLE to join in anything that other kids were doing. Please consider social impairment in autism to be a major CONSEQUENCE of sensory integration/language processing/brain energy impairment.
So rather than looking at ways to improve 'social interaction' directly, it is important that we instead try to improve things like motor and sensory processing, executive functioning, brain energy /lifting the brain fog etc.
(for the scientifically-minded: consider brain glycogen/glucose metabolism, esp astrocytic glycogenesis and lactate shuttle)

natx
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I was very excited to see that there is finally an episode on autism. I have been eagerly awaiting this episode, and was thrilled to see that it had finally been made. Unfortunately, I was incredibly disappointed. The research on vasopressin in voles is interesting, but that was the only positive aspect of this episode. So much of what was included is incredibly ableist. It feels very much like the decision to interview Dr. Parker had more to do with Dr. Huberman's familiarity with her rather than her actual knowledge. She herself says that she does not work with autistic people and is not familiar with the lived experiences of members of the community.

I hope that Dr. Huberman takes the time to reexamine this topic with the inclusion of autistic voices. Autistic adults exist and there are an incredible number of autistic adults in this field of study who would be much better options as guests. Autism does not go away in adulthood. Some of us learn to mask such that our disabilities become more internal and thus less visible to others, but that does not mean we are no longer autistic. It is dehumanizing and infantilizing to not include us in research and discussions about us.

Additionally, Dr. Parker describes the parents involved in the creation of Autism Speaks as "heroes". Autism Speaks is widely regarded as a hate group. They push ABA as a "treatment" which has been repeatedly proven to be actively harmful to autistic people. The focus on conformity instead of accepting autistic people for who we are and focusing on our strengths, is inherently harmful.

I would suggest Dr. Huberman read about the medical versus the social model of disability. Being autistic is not an issue by itself. The way society is structured is what is disabling about being autistic. In our current society, there are situations in which masking becomes necessary especially for those of us who fall into other minority groups or do not have the financial security to navigate getting a diagnosis, or establishing a life that allows us the freedom to be ourselves. Learning those skills can be valuable, but being required to use them is fundamentally wrong. Being autistic is not a disease; variation within any species is normal and important. The discussion of possible "treatment" options requires a lot more nuance than is provided in this episode.

I also believe that several important factors were missed in this discussion, such as the prevalence of ADHD in autistic people, the reasons why there are fewer AFAB people diagnosed with autism, how to actually support autistic people, monotropism, stimming, the double empathy problem, etc.

I would recommend the book But You Don't Look Autistic at All by Bianca Toeps for a quick read that provides insight on one autistic person's lived experience, and I would recommend the journal Autism in Adulthood for academic papers on the topic.

I would also recommend having any of the following people on the podcast for a more in depth and meaningful perspective on autism:
- Dr. Robert Chapman
- Dr. Sandra Jones
- Dr. Monique Botha
- Dr. Heather Brown
- Dr. Sue Fletcher-Watson
- Dr. Joey Lawrence
- Dr. Marjorie Desormeaux-Moreau (I have only listened to her speak in french, but I gather she speaks english too)
- Dr. Aimee Grant

I'm sure other people have other suggestions to add here. I would love for other autistic people to reply to this comment to add their suggestions for autistic autism researchers who would make good guests for this podcast!

caileanmeredith
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I always hear the same thing about autism and ADHD: mostly boys have it. But what professionals fail to see is that girls are great at masking and mirroring. But people don't understand that and we continue to fly under the radar without a diagnosis for years...

montycora
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I have autism. I lead a life doing lots of public speaking, interacting with strangers in sales all day. I am successful at this job, however I do come home and have to decompress for hours after a day of intense masking. My family refused to allow me to seek any professional help growing up due to the stigma around it, so I adapted by doing a lot of my own reading and research and teaching myself how to be a “normal” human. Super looking forward to this episode.

Radairski
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My 2 year old daughter has been diagnosed with "moderate" autism. Since the diagnosis, I've been consuming everything I can get my hands on related to understanding the condition. As one of my favorite content creators, I'm absolutely elated that you've decided to cover this topic.... Thank you.

marcusjackson
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Finally, an episode for us who are brushed with the tism

Spentyo
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This is an odd episode to digest as an autist married to an autist raising two audhd kiddos. On the one hand I love knowing the whys of how things work and understanding autism mechanisms can only be beneficial. I’m also aware that there’s myriad experiences and if a child is stimming to the extent they hurt themselves it’s a very different experience to a kid who needs to jump and move regularly. And that parents raising kids with much more intense or harmful behaviours would want to mitigate them. But there seems to be no mention of self advocacy or that adult autists view curing autism very negatively and that autism speaks is considered a hate group and ABA to be inherently abusive/harmful (although practitioners vary wildly). It was also alienating to listen to the research details in terms of “we could make voles more social, could we make autists more social?”.

I’m often frustrated beyond words that autism is classed as a disorder with communication deficits when umpteen autism advocates will point out that we’re often clearer in our communication than allistic ppl.

And to be clear I’d love to ease some of my kids struggles that negatively impact them but I don’t want to cure them to allistic versions of themselves and this entire conversation ignored social changes that would benefit autists.

Very conflicted about how this was covered.

GardnSavvy
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I don't want a cure. I want support. I desire social interaction, but am not accepted. I would love to hear more from the perspective of people who are actually autistic. please.

bedhead-studio
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🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

07:06 🧬 *Autism rates have increased, with 1 in 36 U.S. children diagnosed with autism, indicating a significant rise in recent years.*
09:19 🧠 *Autism is diagnosed primarily based on behavioral criteria, focusing on pervasive social interaction challenges and restricted repetitive behavior.*
17:58 🧠 *Autism's underlying biological basis remains complex and multifaceted, making it challenging to identify specific neural networks or mechanisms.*
19:30 🧬 *Environmental factors, such as advanced parental age, prematurity, and maternal illness during pregnancy, can increase the risk of autism.*
20:56 🧬 *Developing sophisticated animal models and non-human primate models can provide valuable insights into autism research.*
22:46 🌿 *Prenatal environmental influences, including neuron migration during early development, may play a role in autism, although research in this area remains limited.*
22:48 🧠 *Neuronal migration during embryo development is crucial for brain wiring. Some research suggested a possible correlation between increased early prenatal ultrasounds and autism.*
27:08 🤝 *Oxytocin and vasopressin, small neuropeptides, play essential roles in social behavior, bonding, and various physiological processes across species.*
37:59 🤱 *Oxytocin has been associated with mother-infant bonding and uterine contractions during birth. Its release in response to specific events like vaginal delivery can influence bonding.*
45:36 🧠 *Oxytocin has been studied for its potential to diminish the amygdala's response to fearful stimuli, which may have pro-social effects.*
46:57 🧒 *Autistic children can vary in their social behavior, with some forming close friendships and being pro-social with specific friends while feeling uncomfortable in noisy or crowded settings.*
48:30 🤝 *Different phenotypes of autism exist, with some individuals being socially avoidant, others being socially active but odd in their interactions, and some having disinterest in social interactions.*
50:39 💊 *Oxytocin nasal spray administration is typically done in research settings, and it's not available over the counter. It requires a prescription from a physician.*
53:29 🔄 *Autism can have a lifelong impact, but some individuals may outgrow their diagnosis, respond well to behavioral therapy, or exhibit variability in their social functioning.*
01:05:17 🩺 *Oxytocin treatment's effectiveness in autism may depend on an individual's baseline oxytocin levels, which can vary, and more research is needed to determine its safety and long-term benefits for children with autism.*
01:08:03 🧪 *Psilocybin, MDMA, and atypical anti-depressants are being explored in trials for children with autism to potentially rewire the brain and improve their condition.*
01:08:45 📊 *Autism is a heterogeneous condition, making it challenging to identify suitable participants for trials and determine the best treatments.*
01:09:28 🧒 *Oxytocin may be most effective in younger children due to neuroplasticity, potentially offering maximum benefits at a younger age.*
01:10:24 🏥 *Early autism screening and intervention are crucial, but long clinic wait times hinder timely diagnosis and treatment.*
01:11:35 🩺 *Developing laboratory-based tests or biomarker panels could help prioritize children at risk for autism and expedite diagnoses and interventions.*
01:12:44 🧒 *Challenges in making behavioral testing for autism pervasive include scalability, the need for specialized clinicians, and resource disparities.*
01:15:44 💊 *The potential use of MDMA, with its serotonin release and neuroplasticity effects, in autism treatment is a topic of interest but faces challenges, especially in children.*
01:21:06 🧠 *Vasopressin, similar to oxytocin, is produced in the human brain and body, with receptors distributed throughout the brain.*
01:22:28 👨‍👧‍👦 *Vasopressin can induce bonding and paternal care in male prairie voles, showing its role in social behavior.*
01:26:08 🐭 *Vasopressin, when administered to male voles, dramatically increases their paternal caregiving behavior, demonstrating the peptide's potent effects.*
01:28:30 🐒 *Dr. Karen Parker discusses the origins of funding for autism research, including philanthropic contributions from organizations like Autism Speaks and individuals like Jim Simons.*
01:30:33 🧪 *Blood oxytocin levels are not a reliable marker for autism, as they vary widely even among people without autism, challenging the oxytocin deficit hypothesis.*
01:31:54 🔬 *Dr. Parker emphasizes the importance of focusing on social challenges and neuropeptide deficits in autism research rather than getting caught up in diagnostic labels.*
01:32:47 🧠 *Exploring neuropeptides like vasopressin may offer valuable insights into understanding and treating autism, potentially more so than oxytocin.*
01:38:31 🐵 *Dr. Parker discusses the establishment of a primate model for autism research, emphasizing the need for species-appropriate models for complex behaviors.*
01:47:48 🧪 *Biomarker discovery in monkeys allowed researchers to differentiate between socially low and high monkeys, opening possibilities for identifying similar markers in humans with social challenges.*
01:52:28 🚸 *The research suggests that low levels of vasopressin in cerebral spinal fluid could be a biomarker for autism.*
01:57:47 💡 *Infants who later received an autism diagnosis had lower CSF vasopressin levels, indicating a potential early biomarker.*
02:03:03 🧪 *Further research is needed to determine if vasopressin replacement therapy could be beneficial for individuals with autism.*
02:08:50 💊 *Studies are being conducted to explore potential drug interactions with vasopressin and alternative therapies to release vasopressin naturally.*
02:10:10 🧪 *Dr. Karen Parker conducted a study using vasopressin as a potential treatment for autism in children, aiming to improve social responsiveness.*
02:11:47 🧒 *In the study, vasopressin was administered twice a day for four weeks to children aged 6 to 12 with autism, and the primary outcome measure was the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS).*
02:12:55 🧩 *The SRS assesses various aspects of social behavior in children with autism, such as social interactions, initiation, gaze, and restrictive repetitive behaviors.*
02:14:32 🧪 *Children with autism who received vasopressin treatment showed improvements in social abilities, as reported by parents, clinicians, and laboratory-based tests.*
02:15:56 🚀 *Some children also experienced reduced anxiety and diminished restricted repetitive behaviors, indicating potential broader effects of vasopressin treatment.*
02:19:26 🤔 *The mechanism of action of vasopressin in improving social behavior and cognition in autism is not yet fully understood, and further research is needed to explore brain circuits and receptors involved.*
02:28:03 🦠 *There is some intriguing mouse research suggesting that the gut microbiome may play a role in social deficits, and probiotics could potentially impact oxytocin and vasopressin levels in the brain, affecting social behavior.*
02:31:15 🧠 *Gut microbiota diversity can influence gene expression of oxytocin and vasopressin in the hypothalamus through the vagal pathway, potentially linking the microbiome to social behavior.*
02:32:20 🧪 *Exploring the use of vagal nerve stimulation in autistic individuals to investigate its potential impact on social behavior and related blood level changes.*
02:34:29 💰 *Funding challenges and the need for increased support for research on autism treatment, especially during critical developmental windows in children.*
02:35:11 📊 *The use of open-label extension arms in medication trials for autism to ensure that all participants have access to the drug and to gather additional data.*
02:36:20 💩 *Ongoing research into fecal transplants as a potential treatment for autism, along with investigations into oxytocin nasal spray and vasopressin administration.*
02:38:11 💉 *Roche's study using a vasopressin V1a receptor antagonist to treat autism and how it contrasts with Dr. Karen Parker's research, which aims to increase vasopressin levels.*
02:47:02 💉 *The history of the vaccine-autism controversy, including Andrew Wakefield's fraudulent study, the subsequent debunking, and the lack of scientific support for vaccines causing autism.*
02:52:34 🧒 *Administering vasopressin to low social functioning children in a small study resulted in symptom improvement, indicating a potential causal relationship.*
02:53:01 🌟 *Dr. Karen Parker's dedication to tackling the complexities of autism research and her efforts to explore novel treatments, despite funding challenges, is crucial for progress in the field.*
02:53:42 🙏 *Gratitude for Dr. Parker's valuable insights and commitment to advancing our understanding of autism's biological foundations and potential treatments. The hope for future updates on her research progress.*

labsanta
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I'm an adult and I've recently discovered that I am autistic. As a long time fan of this podcast, I was very excited about this episode. I feel disappointed by the structure and focus points of this episode, however. I was hoping for something as comprehensive as other Huberman Lab podcasts, that would answer at least some of the million questions I have about autism. Instead I got a very long and very specific lecture on how taking oxytocin may or may not help autistic children, interlaced with outdated misconceptions. Nothing I could relate to.

The comment section is useful however. I am really enjoying all the autistic straightforwardness here

odmineypiju
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Several parents of autistic children have said ABA therapy was actually harmful to their child. I personally chose not to go that route. I’m autistic and so are my three children. We prefer to stay at home and work on social issues at the pace that is appropriate for each child. Diet and constant affection helps with oxytocin. The introduction of pet cats and dogs into the family for more affection opportunities has been fantastic in our household. I was never diagnosed as a child and made it through college and motherhood without being aware I was autistic. It only got hard for me postpartum as I continued to mask trying to keep up with the superhuman stoic ideal I had committed myself to since childhood. Motherhood had left very little time for healthy left hemisphere activities. Being more conscious of how I spend my “me” time and becoming self aware of overlooked behaviors and symptoms has been the best therapy.

alternativetentacles
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I’m an autistic adult watching this and I’m jolted everything time I hear things like ‘challenge of the brain’, ‘brain disorder’, ‘migration error of neurones’, ‘risk factors’ for autism…etc. It actually makes me sick. So casually talking about people like they are failed humans. Can we please stop with the deficit model, like neurotypical is the ideal? So many successful neurodiverse folks. The medical model is cruel. Please listen to yourselves and check your language.

alisonmercieca
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As a 34 year old functional adult (registered nurse and mother of 4) with autism... I thought this podcast was... not very good. 🤔😅

emjaywarbacon