I've just found this after listening to The Autistic Culture podcast. My hyper-phantasic mind built it and my soul resonated as it aligns with my much smaller dream.
Thank you for sharing this world. One I would love to build towards.
What a wonderful world this would be! My son is 21 and feeling the full pressure of entering the adult world with autism. It is not a welcoming place. I want what you have imagined for him. What are the possibilities that this will come to fruition in any way? What do advocates need to do to make this more part of the public consciousness and part of legislative and community efforts? My son is working to be a designer. I am hoping your story inspires him to create things with this world in mind. Shared with him. Thank you!
I have 10 years' worth of data that I collected from over 300 clients who I evaluated with respect to ADHD characteristics, both "traditional" ones and others, like sensory sensitivities. Between that fairly intense dive into gathering information, I also became familiar with a large amount of the research on what the literature likes to call "sensory over-responsivity" (SOR).
I am putting it all together with my recent literature review and calling the book "All Amped-Up and No Place to Go." I have renamed SOR sensory amplification syndrome (SAS). It is clearly not a response as much as it is a capability. I say that because from both my clinical work and reading, it is clear that there is a population of folks from so-called neurotypical through neurodivergent (often AS, ADHD, or combo) who actually are amplifying sensory signals. Meaning, they are way more capable of noticing stuff because they amplifier is turned up and can be amplifying only certain sensory signals or all sensory signals before those signals get to the cortex for interpretation.
Amplification, up front. So good at noticing that many of them can sense the movement of air when a door is opened, wake up, and go, what? Generally, their ideal sleeping space might be a walk-in closet with doors (quiet, dark, etc.). In my world, now, my conclusion is that the SAS folks, 500 or more years ago, would have been appointed the tribal scouts. Their radar would still be on while sleeping, even.
I am responding to your post to let you know what I have learned, since I have not had a chance to get it all together yet for a long post, a deep-dive, and a book. A few things:
1. Locus coeruleus (LC)-- small area in lower cerebellum, brain stem, that has a number of functions which have been difficult to figure out because of its location, but -- it turns out that it acts as an amplifier of sensory signals through its norepinephrine (NE) enhancing effects that amplify (or not) most or all sensory signals (visual brightness, movement, details, sounds, smells, taste, balance, skin (somatosensory), enterosensory, vibrations.
2. It is more than a little clear now that the LC is set up to use NE receptors to amp up the sensory signals to the cortex. More receptors available means more amplification power related to the number of receptors being stimulated by NE. The receptors are primarily *alpha* NE receptor types (longer story).
3. If there was a method for artificially blocking receptor sites and thus reducing how many receptors are then available, it would be possible to reduce amplification. And, in fact, there is. I won't be able to give you all of the details right now, but there are a class of medications traditionally used for blood pressure control called alphaNE blockers. (You may have heard of beta blockers that likely reduce adrenaline sensitivity (and, thus, response)
4. The two most useful alpha blockers in folks who are clearly sensory sensitive are either clonidine or guanfacine, immediate release, low dose first used at bedtime, then, possibly again mid-morning. By blocking receptors, less amplification takes place by making fewer receptors available. I can't give you all the details in this short reply but: I have a large amount of data and clinical experience that shows that one or the other at the correct quite low dose and correct schedule, can literally turn down amplification without side effects like sedation, fainting, etc.
A lot of folks have likely heard of clonidine and guanfacine used "for" ADHD, especially in hyperactive scenarios. They are not working memory meds. They have been traditionally used for their "side effects" of mild sedation for hyperactive folks. It may just be they were turning down amplifiers and did not know it, and, thus, reducing data loads for those kids, and thus, allowing whatever working memory was available to not be entirely filled up with extra, more perceived data due to the SAS.
You can find a lot of information by researching locus coeruleus and sensory processing or SOR. There are a few significant journal articles by a woman named SJ Lane 2010, 2019. Search SJ Lane ADHD SOR Hope that makes sense.
Rural is good. I'm not an SASer, but, I have spent some time in the Wichita KS area, and, they didn't call those covered wagons "prairie schooners" for nothing. Lots of grand earth sky space. But, be prepared, at least in those areas, for powerful thunder and lightning shows. Yikes, scary but fun.
I've just found this after listening to The Autistic Culture podcast. My hyper-phantasic mind built it and my soul resonated as it aligns with my much smaller dream.
Thank you for sharing this world. One I would love to build towards.
Thank you for the kind words. I would love to build/live there as well!
What a wonderful world this would be! My son is 21 and feeling the full pressure of entering the adult world with autism. It is not a welcoming place. I want what you have imagined for him. What are the possibilities that this will come to fruition in any way? What do advocates need to do to make this more part of the public consciousness and part of legislative and community efforts? My son is working to be a designer. I am hoping your story inspires him to create things with this world in mind. Shared with him. Thank you!
"What are the possibilities that this will come to fruition in any way?"
I don't know. I'll likely never see this day, but I want to contribute to the betterment of the community anyhow.
Hey Scott! Great writing and sharing! I get it!
I have 10 years' worth of data that I collected from over 300 clients who I evaluated with respect to ADHD characteristics, both "traditional" ones and others, like sensory sensitivities. Between that fairly intense dive into gathering information, I also became familiar with a large amount of the research on what the literature likes to call "sensory over-responsivity" (SOR).
I am putting it all together with my recent literature review and calling the book "All Amped-Up and No Place to Go." I have renamed SOR sensory amplification syndrome (SAS). It is clearly not a response as much as it is a capability. I say that because from both my clinical work and reading, it is clear that there is a population of folks from so-called neurotypical through neurodivergent (often AS, ADHD, or combo) who actually are amplifying sensory signals. Meaning, they are way more capable of noticing stuff because they amplifier is turned up and can be amplifying only certain sensory signals or all sensory signals before those signals get to the cortex for interpretation.
Amplification, up front. So good at noticing that many of them can sense the movement of air when a door is opened, wake up, and go, what? Generally, their ideal sleeping space might be a walk-in closet with doors (quiet, dark, etc.). In my world, now, my conclusion is that the SAS folks, 500 or more years ago, would have been appointed the tribal scouts. Their radar would still be on while sleeping, even.
I am responding to your post to let you know what I have learned, since I have not had a chance to get it all together yet for a long post, a deep-dive, and a book. A few things:
1. Locus coeruleus (LC)-- small area in lower cerebellum, brain stem, that has a number of functions which have been difficult to figure out because of its location, but -- it turns out that it acts as an amplifier of sensory signals through its norepinephrine (NE) enhancing effects that amplify (or not) most or all sensory signals (visual brightness, movement, details, sounds, smells, taste, balance, skin (somatosensory), enterosensory, vibrations.
2. It is more than a little clear now that the LC is set up to use NE receptors to amp up the sensory signals to the cortex. More receptors available means more amplification power related to the number of receptors being stimulated by NE. The receptors are primarily *alpha* NE receptor types (longer story).
3. If there was a method for artificially blocking receptor sites and thus reducing how many receptors are then available, it would be possible to reduce amplification. And, in fact, there is. I won't be able to give you all of the details right now, but there are a class of medications traditionally used for blood pressure control called alphaNE blockers. (You may have heard of beta blockers that likely reduce adrenaline sensitivity (and, thus, response)
4. The two most useful alpha blockers in folks who are clearly sensory sensitive are either clonidine or guanfacine, immediate release, low dose first used at bedtime, then, possibly again mid-morning. By blocking receptors, less amplification takes place by making fewer receptors available. I can't give you all the details in this short reply but: I have a large amount of data and clinical experience that shows that one or the other at the correct quite low dose and correct schedule, can literally turn down amplification without side effects like sedation, fainting, etc.
A lot of folks have likely heard of clonidine and guanfacine used "for" ADHD, especially in hyperactive scenarios. They are not working memory meds. They have been traditionally used for their "side effects" of mild sedation for hyperactive folks. It may just be they were turning down amplifiers and did not know it, and, thus, reducing data loads for those kids, and thus, allowing whatever working memory was available to not be entirely filled up with extra, more perceived data due to the SAS.
You can find a lot of information by researching locus coeruleus and sensory processing or SOR. There are a few significant journal articles by a woman named SJ Lane 2010, 2019. Search SJ Lane ADHD SOR Hope that makes sense.
Rural is good. I'm not an SASer, but, I have spent some time in the Wichita KS area, and, they didn't call those covered wagons "prairie schooners" for nothing. Lots of grand earth sky space. But, be prepared, at least in those areas, for powerful thunder and lightning shows. Yikes, scary but fun.
Take care, Ron