Autism and Eye Movements

In this episode, we discuss the connections between autism and eye movements, starting with the underappreciated role of eyes in human biology. We emphasize the significance of the retina, which is central to both image-forming and non-image-forming functions of vision. The discussion takes a turn towards how blind individuals also leverage their eyes for biological functions beyond sight, highlighting the pervasive influence of visual systems on human physiology. We explore the superior colliculus, an essential brain region that integrates sensory information from various sources, including vision, to direct our attention and reflexive responses. This area is crucial in understanding how sensory input differently, particularly in terms of attention bias and threat detection, which could explain some of the unique sensory experiences in Autism.