Enjoy your Spring Break! We will meet again on 3/17 in Reuben Cooke at 7PM like usual. Upcoming Topics for After Spring Break: Sensory processing/overload, Neuro-inclusive spaces/architecture, Internalized Ableism in Neurodivergent populations, Philosophy of Disability, Social Cognition, Burnout patterns in ADHD/Autism, Book-bagging with upperclassman and MORE!

Emotional dysregulation is often dismissed as being “too sensitive,” “overreacting,” or “dramatic.” But research shows that for many individuals with ADHD and autism, differences in emotion regulation are neurologically grounded. This week, DNA will explore the science behind emotional dysregulation in neurodivergent populations, focusing specifically on ADHD and autism. We’ll discuss: What emotional regulation actually means in neuroscience Why ADHD is increasingly understoo

Executive function — the brain’s management system for planning, working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility — is something everyone struggles with sometimes. But in neurodivergent populations (like ADHD, autism, OCD, and Tourette’s), executive dysfunction isn’t a quirk — it’s a biological pattern  that affects daily life, learning, and self-regulation. This Tuesday, DNA will explore executive dysfunction as a transdiagnostic feature  — meaning it spans multiple neu

What happens when you receive a diagnosis years — or decades — after you first struggled? For many neurodivergent students, ADHD or autism is recognized late: in high school, in college, in graduate school, or even adulthood. A late diagnosis can bring relief, validation, anger, grief, clarity — sometimes all at once. This week, DNA will explore the psychology of late diagnosis and identity reconstruction , grounded in research that explicitly examines adult ADHD and autism r

Hosted by the Duke Neurodiversity Advocates (DNA) What does it cost to appear “normal”? Many neurodivergent students — especially those with ADHD and autism — describe spending enormous energy masking: suppressing stims, forcing eye contact, over-preparing socially, mimicking peers, or pushing through executive dysfunction to meet expectations. This week, DNA will explore the research behind masking and camouflaging — and how chronic masking contributes to exhaustion, identit

Day 2 of our Discussion: why brain fog, sensory overload, and emotional volatility often travel with fatigue, and how this framework changes what support should look like in academics, health care, and daily routines. We’ll discuss: Brain fog as physiology  - processing speed, working memory, word-finding, and “executive shutdown” when demand exceeds capacity Sensory overload and immune stress  - why light, sound, touch, and multitasking can become painful when the system is

Today, we will be exploring the neuroimmune link between inflammation and fatigue in neurodivergent populations. We will be discussing these two papers: Quadt, L., Csecs, J. L. L., Bond, R., Harrison, N. A., Critchley, H. D., Davies, K. A., & Eccles, J. (2024). Childhood neurodivergent traits, inflammation and chronic disabling fatigue in adolescence: A longitudinal case–control study. BMJ Open, 14 (7), e084203. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-084203 Ferencova, N., et al