The Causes & Treatments for Autism | Dr. Karen Parker

Welcome to the Huberman Lab Podcast, where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life. I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. My guest today is Dr. Karen Parker. Dr. Karen Parker directs the Social Neurosciences Research Program at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The goal of her laboratory's research is to understand the biological basis of social functioning at every stage of the lifespan. So this includes the bonds that form between infant and parent or parents, as well as the bonds that occur between children as they grow up, which, of course, form the template for social functioning when we become adults. Dr. Parker's research is heavily focused on autism and indeed on all forms of autism spectrum disorders. Today, we discuss autism, we talk about the prominent theories and current understanding of the biological basis for autism, as well as what still remains mysterious and unresolved about the causes of autism. You may have heard that the incidents or perhaps just the diagnosis of autism has dramatically increased in the last 10 to 15 years, and today, we discuss why it is in fact that the incidents, not just the diagnoses but the incidents of autism has so dramatically increased. And perhaps most excitingly, Dr. Parker shares with us brand new research findings from her laboratory that point to a new understanding of what causes autism as well as a novel treatment for autism. Before we begin, I'd like to emphasize that this podcast is separate from my teaching and research roles at Stanford. It is, however, part of my desire and effort to bring zero-cost-to-consumer information about science and science-related tools to the general public. In keeping with that theme, I'd like to thank the sponsors of today's podcast. Our first sponsor is Eight Sleep. Eight Sleep makes smart mattress covers with cooling, heating, and sleep tracking capacity. I've spoken many times before on this podcast about the fact that sleep is the foundation of mental health, physical health, and performance. Now, a key component of getting a great night's sleep is that in order to fall and stay deeply asleep, your body temperature actually has to drop by about one to three degrees, and in order to wake up feeling refreshed and energized, your body temperature actually has to increase by about one to three degrees. One of the best ways to make sure that those temperature changes occur at the appropriate times, at the beginning and throughout and at the end of your night when you wake up, is to control the temperature of your sleeping environment, and that's what Eight Sleep allows you to do. It allows you to program the temperature of your mattress and sleeping environment such that you fall and stay deeply asleep easily and wake up each morning feeling incredibly refreshed and energized. I've been sleeping on an Eight Sleep mattress cover for almost three years now, and it has dramatically improved the quality of my sleep, so much so that when I travel and I'm at a hotel or an Airbnb and I don't have access to my Eight Sleep, I very much look forward to getting home because my sleep is always better when I sleep on my Eight Sleep mattress cover. If you'd like to try Eight Sleep, you can go to eightsleep.com/huberman to get $150 off their Pod 3 mattress cover. Eight Sleep currently ships in the USA, Canada, UK, select countries in the EU, and Australia. Again, that's eightsleep.com/huberman. Today's episode is also brought to us by LMNT. LMNT is an electrolyte drink that has everything you need and nothing you don't. That means zero sugar and the appropriate ratios of the electrolytes sodium, magnesium, and potassium. And that correct ratio of electrolytes is extremely important because every cell in your body, but especially your nerve cells, your neurons, relies on electrolytes in order to function properly. So when you're well-hydrated and you have the appropriate amount of electrolytes in your system, your mental functioning and your physical functioning is improved. I drink one packet of LMNT dissolved in about 16 to 32 ounces of water when I wake up in the morning, as well as while I exercise, and if I've sweat a lot during that exercise, I often will drink a third LMNT packet dissolved in about 32 ounces of water after I exercise. LMNT comes in a variety of different flavors, all of which I find really tasty. I like the citrus, I like the watermelon, I like the raspberry. Frankly, I can't pick just one. It also comes in chocolate and chocolate mint, which I find taste best if they are put into water dissolved and then heated up. I tend to do that in the winter months because, of course, you don't just need hydration on hot days and in the summer and spring months but also in the winter when the temperatures are cold and the environment tends to be dry. If you'd like to try LMNT, you can go to Drink LMNT, spelled L-M-N-T, .com/huberman to try a free sample pack. Again, that's drinklmnt.com/huberman. Today's episode is also brought to us by AeroPress. AeroPress is similar to a French press for making coffee but is in fact a much better way to make coffee. I first learned about AeroPress well over 10 years ago, and I've been using one ever since. AeroPress was developed by Alan Adler, who was an engineer at Stanford, and I knew of Alan because he had also built the so-called Aerobie Frisbee, which I believe at one time, perhaps still now, held the Guinness Book of World Records for furthest thrown object, and I used to see Alan, believe it or not, at parks around Palo Alto, testing out different Aerobie Frisbees, so he was sort of famous in our community for developing these different feats of engineering that turned into commercial products. Now, I love coffee. I'm somebody that drinks coffee nearly every day, usually about 90 to 120 minutes after I wake up in the morning, although not always. Sometimes if I'm going to exercise, I'll drink coffee first thing in the morning, but I love, love, love coffee, and what I've personally found is that by using the AeroPress, I can make the best possible tasting cup of coffee. I don't know what exactly it is in the AeroPress that allows the same beans to be prepared into a cup of coffee that tastes that much better as compared to any other form of brewing that coffee, even the traditional French press. The AeroPress is extremely easy to use, and it's extremely compact. In fact, I take it with me whenever I travel, and I use it on the road in hotels, even on planes. I'll just ask for some hot water, and I'll brew my coffee or tea right there on the plane. If you'd like to try AeroPress, you can go to aeropress.com/huberman. That's A-E-R-O-P-R-E-S-S .com/huberman to get 20% off any AeroPress coffee maker. AeroPress ships anywhere in the USA, Canada, and over 60 other countries around the world. Again, that's aeropress.com/huberman to get 20% off. And now for my discussion with Dr. Karen Parker. Dr. Karen Parker, welcome.