Issue 25: A Neurodiverse Journey to the Brain | Dr Eric H. Chudler

Thinking, feeling, moving, speaking, experiencing emotions, forming memories, and shaping personality—all these incredible functions are made possible by our three-pound brain. How can we effectively teach others about the brain, especially neurodiverse students who are deeply curious about the workings of their own brain?

With funding provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation, the Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology Center and the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington collaborated to create the Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners (NNL) program. This initiative provides high school students who identify as neurodiverse—such as those with dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyscalculia, autism, or Tourette syndrome—with engaging opportunities to learn about neuroscience. NNL programming consists of a one or two week in-person summer camp and occasional virtual discussions during the school year.

This article highlights experiments and activities from the NNL program that the author has used successfully to teach neurodiverse high school students about the brain. These resources are shared to help others replicate the activities with their own students and children.

Before each activity, students receive a brief lecture designed to introduce key topics and familiarize them with new vocabulary. The Neuroscience for Kids website, created by the author, provides clear, accessible explanations of basic neuroscience concepts and detailed descriptions of the activities. Additional valuable resources include BrainFacts.org and the Dana Foundation, which offer comprehensive information about the nervous system.

One of the first topics covered in the NNL program is neurotransmission—the process by which neurons (nerve cells) communicate. After this discussion, students create neuron models using beads, string, and pipe cleaners. Simple string and pipe cleaner neurons can be assembled in just a few minutes, while bead neurons take up to an hour to complete. Students also have the opportunity to share their creations online with their peers using a "Padlet."

After studying neurons, students move on to learning brain structure. They begin by constructing "brain hats," coloring the four lobes of the brain—temporal, occipital, frontal, and parietal—on a brain template, cutting out the outline, and connecting the right and left hemispheres with tape. Brain anatomy is then explored further through the dissection of a preserved sheep brain, which can be purchased from biological supply companies for $10–$20 each. Some students, initially hesitant about participating in the dissection, often change their minds after creating brain hats. For those who prefer not to engage in the dissection, a virtual sheep brain dissection is available as an alternative.

NNL students enjoy many hands-on experiments to investigate their senses. Printed visual illusions are used to demonstrate how the brain interprets and sometimes misinterprets sensory information from the outside world. To study eye anatomy, models are incorporated into the lessons. For example, both the eye's lens and a magnifying glass lens are convex, bending light in a similar way. By holding a magnifying glass a few inches from a wall, students can observe how light passing through the lens is inverted, mimicking the behavior of light as it passes through the lens of the eye.

Another popular activity among students is a demonstration of the eye's blind spot. The blind spot is a small area on the retina where the optic nerve connects to the eye. The area lacks photoreceptors and, therefore, does not respond to light. Using a simple diagram, students can observe how light falling on the blind spot fails to send a signal to the brain and how the brain compensates by filling in the missing information.

Many NNL students are gifted musically and have a strong appreciation for music. They are often interested in how music influences their brain and whether music has a beneficial effect on learning and memory. In response to this interest, we discuss the nature of sound and the anatomy of the ear. Students learn about the hearing range of other animals and are often surprised to learn that elephants can hear frequencies well below those that humans can hear. A discussion of different musical instruments (percussion, woodwinds, string, brass, keyboards) emphasizes that vibration is the foundation of sound. Using this information, students tap into their creative abilities by constructing their own instruments using recycled materials.

The sensory functions of the nervous system can be explored further by comparing the reaction times in response to visual, auditory and touch stimuli. In this experiment, students first hypothesize whether a visual, auditory or touch stimulus will result in a faster reaction time. To test their hypothesis, students form pairs where one student holds the bottom of a ruler between the fingertips of their partner. To test visual reaction time, the first student drops the ruler, and the second student must catch the falling ruler as quickly as possible. The experiment is repeated when one student closes their eyes, and the ruler is dropped at the same time the second student says "drop" (auditory reaction time) or lightly taps on the foot of the second student. In all experiments, the distance that the ruler falls can be determined by measuring the point at which the ruler was caught. This distance can be converted into reaction time using a simple mathematical formula, providing a quantitative comparison across the different stimuli.

Discussion topics are guided by the students' own interests. NNL students have expressed interest in learning about the intersections of neuroscience and technology (neural engineering), medications, sleep, stress and meditation. The portrayal of neuroscientific themes in television and movies (e.g., Black Mirror, Avatar, The Matrix) is another topic frequently discussed. Dialogue about these subjects allows time to discuss laboratory and clinical research and clear up misconceptions and myths about the brain.

Most of the activities used in the NNL program are open-ended, with multiple possible solutions and different ways to complete each project. There are no right or wrong answers, and students can complete each project at their own pace, working as fast or as slow as they desire. The activities can also be completed collaboratively or independently, providing students time to socialize with others or work alone. There are no time constraints, ensuring a flexible and low-stress environment.

The NNL program emphasizes the theme of neuroplasticity—the brain's constant ability to change and reorganize. Furthermore, as students explore how their brain functions, they discover that every brain is unique, providing them with unique strengths and skills.

Resources

• Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners (NNL): A description of the NNL program and other opportunities provided by the Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology Center at the University of Washington [washington.edu]
• Neuroscience for Kids: Website of Eric Chudler providing basic information about the brain and detailed instructions for activities and experiments for students and teachers [washington.edu]
• Padlet: online platform that allows users to share text, video and photographs [padlet.com]
• BrainFacts.org: educational resources developed by the Society for Neuroscience [brainfacts.org]
• Dana Foundation: educational resources developed by the Dana Foundation [dana.org]
• Brain Hat Template: free template of the brain, available in several languages [ellenjmchenry.com]
• Virtual Sheep Brain Dissection: online sheep brain dissection guide [https://www.scranton.edu]

This work was supported by National Science Foundation Award #DRL-1948591.

Dr Eric H. Chudler

Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D., is a research neuroscientist at the University of Washington. He has appointments as a research associate professor in the Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine. In addition to his research, Dr. Chudler works as the Executive Director/Education Director at the Center for Neurotechnology. For many years, Dr. Chudler has developed educational resources to teach students and adults about the brain and brain research.

Extracts from Dystinct Magazine