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

X: https://x.com/rps47586

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGxEzLKXkjppo3nqmpXpzuA

email: [email protected]