Understanding autism and how it affects our brains can help us recognise why our thinking and behaviour differ from others. By learning about how our brains function, we gain insight into our identities, the decisions we make, and how we respond to various situations.
The relationship between incoming sensory information and how we interpret such information is crucial to our understanding of the world. Our entire experience consists of perception; everything we encounter is shaped by it. We perceive the world based on our expectations. The brain functions as a making-meaning machine, using past experiences to inform the meanings from current situations, which are always grounded in the sensory data we receive in the moment. We constantly take in information through our senses, absorbing everything around us. As sensory data arrives, our brains usually have already predicted its meaning based on our previous experiences.
When current sensory information aligns with our predicted understanding of that information, the brain operates seamlessly. These processes occur subconsciously, without our awareness. We only become conscious of these processes when there is a discrepancy between the sensory data and our predictions. This discrepancy is referred to as a prediction error.
In essence, when new sensory information is received, the brain generates a prediction about its meaning. If this prediction fails to match the actual data, the prediction error is registered. The reason prediction errors stand out to us is that the brain functions as a learning machine, and recognising these errors is fundamental to our ability to learn.
We learn from those prediction errors, and our brain responds in one of three ways when this happens. First, it may decide that the difference between the prediction and the sensory information is not significant enough to warrant attention. Second, it might update its predictive model to incorporate the new sensory information. Third, it could take corrective action to address the sensory input.
To illustrate this concept, consider my experience as a tea drinker. I have specific preferences: I enjoy my tea very hot and black. When I visit a friend and they serve me a cup of tea, my brain has already formed an expectation of how it should taste. After taking a sip, I notice two discrepancies: the tea is not hot enough, and it is milky. This mismatch between the sensory experience—namely, the taste and temperature of the tea—and my brain's prediction of it being hot and black creates what is known as a prediction error. At this point, my brain faces a decision: 1) It may deem the discrepancy unimportant and choose to ignore it. 2) It might update the model, allowing for the possibility that tea can also taste like this. 3) Alternatively, it could take corrective action, prompting me to ask my friend for a black tea made with hotter water.
The autistic brain operates differently than the non-autistic brain. While the non-autistic brain can easily and flexibly navigate various processes, the autistic brain tends to place greater importance on current sensory data when making predictions.
The autistic brain is constantly scanning the environment, noticing everything both consciously and unconsciously. Due to this heightened focus on sensory information, it can be challenging for the autistic brain to update its predictive models. For instance, it struggles to adapt when a cup of tea tastes different from what was expected. This tendency can lead to rigidity in thinking and inflexible expectations.
An autistic brain thrives on routine, certainty, and predictability. We often struggle to adapt to unexpected events or changes. To cope, we do our best to create a sense of predictability in our lives. When a prediction error occurs, an autistic individual may not respond by choosing one of the three typical actions: ignore, update, or correct. Instead, these errors are particularly impactful, causing agitation and distress when our expectations are not met. This often leads to significant activation of the limbic system in an autistic person's body.
In individuals with autism, rather than experiencing appropriate surprises at unexpected events, there seems to be a constant sense of mild surprise about everything. This leads to a state where we navigate the world continually surprised by various stimuli, unless we can adjust our environment to ensure that everything aligns with our expectations.
The characteristics of autism can lead to demands exceeding capacity. When the demands placed on an autistic individual surpass their ability to process those demands, the characteristics of autism become more pronounced and recognisable. A simple way to describe autism is as a difference in perception caused by a brain that struggles to update its predictive models. This can manifest as an intolerance of uncertainty and a strong need for predictability and routine.
A final point to consider is the important distinction between sensitivity and reactivity. Studies have shown that individuals with autism are not more sensitive to sensory stimuli than those who are not autistic. The difference arises from the tendency to place greater importance on incoming sensory data. This inclination is connected to our predictive model; because we assign more weight to sensory information, we tend to be more reactive and more responsive to it. In other words, we pay more attention to sensory stimuli rather than being inherently more sensitive to them. A brain that struggles with predictability creates a body that is always at some level of discomfort, dysregulation or anxiety.
It can be helpful to seek support to make sense of our lived experience. At the Condition Management Company, we have dedicated and motivated therapists ready to support you.
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