Evidence shows that neurodivergency occurs at a higher rate amongst people with hypermobility disorders. And we know that anxiety is also prevalent in the hypermobile population. When we look at neurodivergency, hypermobility, anxiety, and dysautonomia, we see hints of lines drawn between them. Might science soon be able to connect the dots?

Jessica Eccles, senior clinical academic psychiatrist at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and specialist in brain-body neuroscience, returns to speak with Bendy Bodies about neurodivergency, hypermobility, and possible links with anxiety and the autonomic nervous system.

In February 2022, Dr. Eccles published the peer reviewed journal article, "Joint hypermobility links neurodivergence to dysautonomia and pain". She discusses the fascinating results of her research, and explains why neurodivergency, dysautonomia, and pain appear to be connected via joint hypermobility.

Dr. Eccles shares her findings of higher levels of musculoskeletal symptoms in the study’s neurodivergent population vs the comparison group, and wonders if this may be a potential reason why people with neurodivergency experience more health symptoms.

She explains the importance of raising awareness of the link between joint hypermobility and neurodivergency in the medical community, and discusses how anxiety is linked to joint hypermobility and possibly autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

Dr. Eccles shares her work on the ADAPT program, a program aimed at reducing anxiety with a combined brain-body approach in hypermobile people. Still in its early stages, the program (Altering Dynamics of Autonomic Processing Therapy) has fascinating implications.

Finally, Dr. Eccles reveals her current research projects and shares her hopes for future research.

An incredible, accessible discussion by one of the top researchers in this field, this is an episode not to be missed.

#neurodivergency #BendyBrain #dysautonomia #AutonomicNervousSystem #anxiety #ActuallyAutistic #adhd #ADHDAwareness #ASD #AutisticPride #DisabilityInclusion #RedInstead #AutismAcceptance #AutismAwareness #neurodivergent #AutisticAdults #neurodiversity #autistic #autism #BendyBodies #BendyBodiesPodcast #JenniferMilner #ZebraStrong #hypermobility #HypermobilityDisorders

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47. Exploring the Link between Joint Hypermobility and Neurodivergency with Jessica Eccles, MRCPsych, PhD