Similarity to Right Hemisphere Syndrome

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LostInSpace
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01 May 2007, 11:09 am

Hey, guys. I'm studying for a test for my Adult Language Disorders class right now, and some of the material on it is about Right Hemisphere Disorder. I couldn't help noticing some of the similarities between autism/Asperger's and RH Syndrome. RH Syndrome is the result of a stroke in the right hemisphere, by the way.
RH Syndrome is associated with:

Monotone
Reduced comprehension of inflection of speech, gestures, facial expression
Reduced sensitivity to shades of meaning, speaker intentions, conversational conventions, overall themes, inferences, and the beliefs and internal motivations of others
Difficulty managing figurative and metaphoric meaning, indirect requests, and humor
Failure to adopt a "theory of mind" or theory about the internal states of others
Excessive rambling speech (maybe like AS monologues about obsessions?)
Poor eye contact
Abrupt topic shifts
Reduced skills related to turn-taking

Of course, people with RH Syndrome have a bunch of other problems as well, but anyway, I thought the cross-over between the conditions was interesting, especially since AS is also similar to NLD, which is believed to result from a problem with the white matter in the right hemisphere. RH syndrome also is associated with left side neglect, which can be part of NLD as well.

What do you think? Does this indicate that AS might have to do with neurological differences in the right hemisphere?



Gilb
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01 May 2007, 11:13 am

hmm interesting, i always thought that my left hemisphere is much more dominant than the right.
it also explains why some AS people are great left-hemisphere thinkers as well because the left would be having to compensate.
though i have seen some talented aspie artists which this wouldn't be able to explain.



krex
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01 May 2007, 11:22 am

I think the current thinking is that the problem is in lack of communication between the two hemispheres...they dont work as a team(dont play well with others)and that allows for "specializing" but difficulty in sharing tasks and information. between the hemispheres.

I think one of the reasons aspies can be so different from each other is that some compensate by increasing the use of right side and some the left side...the similarity is in that neither group communicates well with the non dominant hemisphere.


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IrishEyes
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01 May 2007, 11:25 am

I thought your theory was very interesting. I think what I suffer from, would be more to do with Semantic pragmatic disorder, which is also a right hemisphere disorder.



Fraya
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01 May 2007, 11:28 am

Gilb wrote:
though i have seen some talented aspie artists which this wouldn't be able to explain.


Art doesn't come exclusively from the right hemisphere.

The only real difference between the hemispheres is the way they process information. The left hemisphere does things sequentially while the right tends to work in parallel. Otherwise both hemispheres are capable of either logical or creative processes.



Griff
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01 May 2007, 12:19 pm

Alright, so it may be that the higher intelligence of aspies and auties in specific areas may have something to do with us relying heavily upon these areas of the brain in just getting through the day. Do I have that straight? If we're forced to use the left hemisphere as a crutch for practically everything that we do, then it would be a mere matter of course that we would be snappier than other people in performing tasks which call upon an overdeveloped left hemisphere. It's just like the blind becoming more developed in other senses. This would also mean that there is actually some logical foundation for saying that Aspergians are more intelligent...in left hemisphere functions...SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE FORCED TO BY OUR DISABILITY!! !

Eureka?



SteveK
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01 May 2007, 1:02 pm

One general side effect of AS is that AS people tend to be lift hemisphere dominant! HEY, MAKES SENSE! Look at LH strengths!

linear algorithmic processing(AS)
concrete-oriented(AS)
mathematics: quantity - perception of counting/measurement(AS)
present and past
language: grammar/words(AS)
pattern perception(AS)

(AS) means TEXTBOOK AS strength!

Steve



JonnyBGoode
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01 May 2007, 1:09 pm

Oddly, I seem to be as right-dominant as left. At least in some aspects. I have a great deal of musical and artistic talent. But I can't draw faces, I'm sure that's AS-related (bodies are tough but not nearly as much).



Wolfpup
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01 May 2007, 11:30 pm

krex wrote:
I think the current thinking is that the problem is in lack of communication between the two hemispheres...they dont work as a team(dont play well with others)and that allows for "specializing" but difficulty in sharing tasks and information. between the hemispheres.

I think one of the reasons aspies can be so different from each other is that some compensate by increasing the use of right side and some the left side...the similarity is in that neither group communicates well with the non dominant hemisphere.


Okay, here's a totally crazy thought. Is it possible that each side of our brain is sort of a bit of a different personality? Like if they're not integrated real well, that we can sort of have two...not personalities, but just...I don't know, two different sides to ourselves that maybe are supposed to be one whole better than they are?

Maybe it's just me, but depending on my mood, sometimes I can be really logical and ignore emotional issues that seem to cloud other people's thinking, and on the other hand, there's a part of me that's REALLY emotional, and...sort of innocent, sweet, feeling-it seems like moreso than the world lets it be. I don't know how to put it. But it seems like sometimes I'll be in one mode, sometimes the other-not that either is BAD...and I guess usually I'm somewhere in between... (By the way, I am NOT talking about Dissociative identity disorder here.)

I don't know, I'm probably not making sense to anyone, but I'll post this just in case it does to someone.



krex
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01 May 2007, 11:41 pm

I think the two parts of us are ....our unadulterated AS selves and our NT personas that we create through observing people in books and other media?

I do know that there are different "me"s and I dont think I have MPD since I am aware of them.They dont seem very intigrated to me.I am very nieve and trusting and gentle and then I have my bad ass persona that I rely on when I am on the street in the city,which feels more primal,and erupts during "rageful" situations.(I am a pacifist and repress it,only growling to myself),but sometimes think if someone attacked me I would go for the throat...bit scary.


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Sedaka
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02 May 2007, 12:25 am

LostInSpace wrote:
Hey, guys. I'm studying for a test for my Adult Language Disorders class right now, and some of the material on it is about Right Hemisphere Disorder. I couldn't help noticing some of the similarities between autism/Asperger's and RH Syndrome. RH Syndrome is the result of a stroke in the right hemisphere, by the way.
RH Syndrome is associated with:

Monotone
Reduced comprehension of inflection of speech, gestures, facial expression
Reduced sensitivity to shades of meaning, speaker intentions, conversational conventions, overall themes, inferences, and the beliefs and internal motivations of others
Difficulty managing figurative and metaphoric meaning, indirect requests, and humor
Failure to adopt a "theory of mind" or theory about the internal states of others
Excessive rambling speech (maybe like AS monologues about obsessions?)
Poor eye contact
Abrupt topic shifts
Reduced skills related to turn-taking

Of course, people with RH Syndrome have a bunch of other problems as well, but anyway, I thought the cross-over between the conditions was interesting, especially since AS is also similar to NLD, which is believed to result from a problem with the white matter in the right hemisphere. RH syndrome also is associated with left side neglect, which can be part of NLD as well.

What do you think? Does this indicate that AS might have to do with neurological differences in the right hemisphere?


i really identify with the abrupt topic shift... i annoy the crap out of people with this cause... for some reason... my natural thought progression has different inclinations than others... and even if i'm not being awkward (so much) when i insert my tidbit... ie- not exactly interrupting them or cutting them off... i disticntly remember this look that everyone gives me while they pause and then just carry on with whatever they were going to say, as if i'd said nothing at all.

sometimes this trait is helpful in social situations as sometimes i do strike conversational gold (like humor)... but for the most part... and especially at work where there's not as much leeway with logical progressions (scinetific method) on conversation topics... i find that my contributions are not so well received... unless we're trying to solve a problem... i do really well there, as i come up with all these options that others don't consider :)


but is this abrupt topic changing trait... more assoiated with RH or AS or what?


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Sedaka
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02 May 2007, 12:26 am

deleted... geesh the net is suxkin tonight... double post ftl all over the place


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bizmack
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02 May 2007, 8:45 am

JonnyBGoode wrote:
Oddly, I seem to be as right-dominant as left. At least in some aspects. I have a great deal of musical and artistic talent. But I can't draw faces, I'm sure that's AS-related (bodies are tough but not nearly as much).


i know exactly how you feel...i would often let drawings sit for months because i didnt want to move un to the difficult task of perfecting the face...

oddly enough i actually think the human form is one of the easiest things for me to recreate....


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