129. Autism and the Brain: What Science Is Finally Proving About Synaptic Dysfunction

In this comprehensive deep dive, Dr. Tony Ebel explores groundbreaking research on decreased synaptic density in autism and reveals why the answers to autism don't lie in the brain alone. Drawing from a Princeton/Harvard study using PET scans, Dr. Ebel explains how autism actually begins in the body's neuromotor system and manifests in the brain. He breaks down complex neurological concepts into understandable terms, explaining the three-step nervous system process (input, integration, output) and introducing critical terms like subluxation, dyskinesia, and dysafferentation. 

This episode challenges the traditional medical approach to autism and presents a revolutionary understanding of how Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care can stimulate neuroplasticity and build the missing synaptic bridges in autistic brains. Dr. Ebel emphasizes that proprioceptive input from movement and spinal adjustments is more foundational to brain function than gut health or supplements, offering hope for families seeking root-cause healing.

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Links & Resources:

Read more about Autism and the Brain here.

Research Study Referenced in this Episode

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Key Topics & Timestamps

([00:04:00]) - The Perfect Storm Promise - Dr. Ebel's commitment to connecting dots and simplifying complex autism research

([00:07:00]) - "Autism Doesn't Begin in the Brain" - Introduction to the revolutionary concept and research limitations

([00:20:00]) - 17% Synaptic Density Decrease - What the study found in autism brains and affected regions

([00:24:00]) - The Seven Senses and Perfect Storm - Why movement and proprioception are key, not just the five basic senses

([00:27:00]) - Three-Step Nervous System Process - Afferentation (input), integration, and efferentation (output)

([00:31:00]) - Subluxation and Dysafferentation - How birth trauma disrupts nervous system input

([00:37:00]) - Why Kids with Autism Crave Input - Understanding stimming, weighted blankets, and proprioceptive needs

([00:39:00]) - Chiropractic's Unique Power - Why neurologically-focused adjustments outperform supplements

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