Posted on Autism

Autism – Eye movements help understand facial processing in autistic children

Researchers funded to examine how different genes associated with autism spectrum disorders may similarly impact our brain’s neurons, resulting in heightened sensitivity to sounds.

University of Houston psychology researcher Jason Griffin, who has pioneered new ways of measuring eye movements to understand autism, reports that autistic children focus on faces differently than other children, especially in the early stages of visual processing. His findings may improve face processing for those with the neurodevelopmental condition.  

Making eye contact while talking is an essential but often overlooked social convention for many people. It’s a natural part of polite conversation. However, for autistic individuals, who usually experience challenges in social communication and may have difficulty recognizing faces, this can be a significant struggle.

In this study, our main objective was to test the hypothesis that autistic children exhibit distinctly different eye movement patterns during social perception, reports Griffin in Biological Psychiatry.

Griffin utilized new analytic techniques to assess and compare the looking behaviour in a large group of autistic and neurotypical children as they viewed social images.  

They found that autistic children prioritize faces differently, mainly when they first see them. 

“Our analysis revealed two distinct eye movement patterns that emerged across three social perception tests,” said Griffin. “The first pattern, called the focused pattern, was marked by small regions of interest on the face that captured attention immediately. In contrast, the second, exploratory pattern involved larger regions of interest that included nonsocial objects and did not draw immediate attention.”

Researchers found that autistic children tended to use this explorative method more than the focused eye movement pattern. A decreased likelihood of precisely looking at faces early in visual processing may be an essential feature of autism associated with autism-related symptomology. It may reflect less visual sensitivity to face information.  

Griffin’s inspiration 

This is not Griffin’s first venture into autism research. He has been involved in this field for years, including five years dedicated to a team that developed a computer-based intervention game for autistic adolescents. The game’s purpose is to help change the players’ eye movements, improving their ability to perceive where another person is looking.

Griffin’s inspiration for all his pioneering research came from home, where he was spurred on by growing up with an autistic brother.  

“My brother and I have always been best friends. We grew up together, rode bikes together and played video games together,” said Griffin in a recent article published in  Science. “As children, he did not speak or make eye contact much and struggled to interact socially. I do not remember exactly when I knew my brother had autism, but I knew we would be best friends forever because he was my younger brother.” 

Griffin’s dedication to autism research has earned him a spot as a finalist for the prestigious NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award. This award honours young scholars with exceptional boldness and innovation in their scientific inquiries. Griffin will receive recognition for this award at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.

The real world 

In the Griffin lab, with real life as his mentor, Griffin is progressing in a field of science he calls naturalistic neuroscience—basically, taking things out of the lab into the real world. 

“We have kids come in, they look at a computer screen with pictures of faces or social scenes, and we assess how long they look at the face or the eyes,” said Griffin. “This is great science. Don’t get me wrong, but there is an opportunity to explore how some of these processes play out in real-world situations.”  

With recent funding from the Autism Science Foundation, Griffin is exploring how we can use mobile eye-tracking technology to understand how autistic children look at faces in real-world situations, like during a face-to-face conversation.  

“There’s so much different about being in front of another human. And ultimately, that’s where autistic people and everyone else lives—in the real world,” said Griffin. 

Posted on Autism

The Truth about Autism and Depression: What’s the Link?

Depression is often confused with autistic burnout, but they are quite different. Throughout the years, I’ve sought help for both, and it can be challenging to find adequate support. In this video, I’ll share what I’ve learned from my experience with depression—how emotions influence my feelings, the role of energy levels in my depression, how I cope with it, and how to differentiate between depression and autistic burnout.

Posted on Multiple Sclerosis

Tools I Use to Live Well with Multiple Sclerosis – 2024 Gift Guide

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic illness can be challenging, but there are tools available that can make life easier. Some of these tools can enhance our health and well-being or streamline daily tasks. As we approach the gift-giving season, I’d like to share some items that I enjoy and that help me save energy, simplify tasks, or improve my quality of life while living with MS. These could also serve as thoughtful gifts for others.

Posted on Diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis

2025 Will END Rheumatoid Arthritis Forever?

In this video, I share exciting updates about new rheumatoid arthritis treatments available in 2025. Learn how CAR T-cell therapy could revolutionize care by targeting the immune system to stop joint damage at its source. I will also explain how GLP-1 drugs, which are commonly used for weight loss and diabetes, are showing surprising anti-inflammatory effects that may help reduce pain and swelling in rheumatoid arthritis. These breakthroughs offer new hope for patients struggling with treatment-resistant symptoms or searching for better options.

Posted on Diet

What motivates people to eat less red meat?

New research looks at whether health risks or environmental impacts matter more
Recent research examines the relative importance of health risks versus environmental impacts.

Limiting red meat consumption is key to a sustainable and healthy diet, yet Americans are among the world’s largest consumers. A new study reveals the demographics of American adults who choose not to eat red meat and finds that environmental concerns may matter more to them than health risks.  

Researchers from Baruch College and the University of Southern California (USC) surveyed over 7,500 adults as part of the Understanding America Study, a probability-based Internet panel formed with individuals aged 18 and older.

In analyzing the survey results, the researchers discovered that only 12 per cent of participants reported not consuming red meat. Adults who indicated they did not eat red meat were more likely to have stated that they:

were female 
were 65 years of age or older 
had a college degree 
had an annual income of $60,000 or less 
had voted for Democrats or Independents (vs. Republicans), and  
self-identified as non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or Asian (vs. non-Hispanic whites).  


When asked to choose their top two concerns of the past year, the non-red meat eaters were equally likely to choose “environment and climate change” or “health/healthcare.” In the analysis of survey results, environmental concerns were associated with self-reports of not eating red meat, while health concerns were not.  

“People may be more familiar with the environmental benefits of not eating red meat than with the potential health benefits,” says lead author Patrycja Sleboda, assistant professor of psychology at Baruch College in New York City.  

The authors suggest that public awareness of the environmental impacts of eating red meat may be increasing due to rising climate change concerns. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), red meat production is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water usage. Production of meat and dairy contributes to 72-78 per cent of global food-related greenhouse gas emissions and 15 per cent of total global emissions. By eating less red meat, people can lower their own contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. 

The lack of a significant association between health concerns and red meat eating may reflect a lack of clear dietary recommendations in the United States. Studies have shown that high levels of both unprocessed red and processed meat have been associated with elevated risk for colorectal, stomach, and pancreatic cancers. The American Cancer Society recommends “limiting red and processed meat,” while the American Heart Association suggests people eat more plant-based proteins and meatless meals.