Inside the Neurodivergent Brain: Structure, Chemistry & Circuits

Credit

Handouts/Brochure

Speaker

Karen Pryor, PhD, PT, DPT, CH, CFPS Related seminars and products

Health Sphere Wellness Center

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Karen Pryor, PhD, PT, DPT, CH, CFPS, has a doctorate in physical therapy and has practiced for 40 years in the field. Dr. Pryor is the owner of Health Sphere Wellness Center, an integrative therapy clinic in Nashville, Tennessee. Involved with early intervention in the birth-three population for over 30 years, she has developed neuroplasticity techniques that are used in a wide variety of settings, including homes, childcare centers, and school systems, to advanced pediatric therapy programs.

Dr. Pryor serves on several boards, including the Leadership Interagency Council for Early Intervention (2014-2019), a position to which she was appointed by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. In 2010, she received the President's Volunteer Service Award for her contributions to the advanced treatment of children from President Barack Obama. In addition to her work with children, Dr. Pryor has served as an adjunct professor at the Tennessee State University Occupational Therapy Assistant program. She is a clinical instructor for several universities and colleges. With her years of experience and passion for complete wellness, Dr. Pryor advances a more expansive view of how to integrate therapy throughout the lifespan by using neuroplasticity techniques.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Karen Pryor is the owner of Health Sphere Wellness Center, LLC and is a field examiner for PDMS-3. She has employment relationships with Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Physical Therapy School, the Daymar Physical Therapy Assistant School and the Volunteer State Community College. She is a paid consultant for Evergreen Certifications. Karen Pryor receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Karen Pryor is a reviewer with Tennessee Physical Therapy Association and American Physical Therapy Association. She is an Ambassador for National Down Syndrome Society. She serves on the editorial board for APTA Journal.

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Objectives

1. Describe the role of key neurotransmitters in attention, regulation, and behavior in ADHD and Autism.
2. Identify major neural networks involved in executive functioning and their clinical impact on therapy participation.
3. Map neurological differences onto functional challenges such as inhibition, processing speed, sensory modulation, and motor planning.

Outline

I. Chemical Messengers & Cognitive Control

• The roles of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in attention, motivation, arousal, and behavior
• Neurochemical imbalances in ADHD and Autism—and their downstream effects
• How neurotransmitter disruptions impact motor timing, reward-seeking, inhibition, and focus

II. Executive Networks of the Brain

• Introduction to the brain’s major attention and regulation systems:
  • Prefrontal cortex
  • Default Mode Network (DMN)
  • Salience Network
• How these networks affect:
  • Task initiation
  • Focus shifting
  • Impulse control
  • Emotional regulation
  • Time management and future thinking

III. Sensory Integration and Neural Processing Differences

• Real-world translation: what therapists observe when sensory integration systems are over- or under-responsive
• How altered sensory thresholds, sensory gating, and input processing affect behavior and participation
• Brain regions and pathways involved in sensory modulation, including the thalamus, cerebellum, and brainstem

IV. Neurology in Action: Functional Implications in Therapy

• Mapping brain-based differences onto observable challenges:
  • Processing speed
  • Motor planning
  • Emotional lability
  • Working memory and inhibition
• Case examples of how neurology presents differently in ADHD vs. Autism
• The foundation for behavior mapping and function-first intervention

Target Audience

• Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Physical Therapists
• Physical Therapy Assistants
• Speech-Language Pathologists