hey im unsure if its okay to send asks that arent culture-is submissions, but i've read an interesting piece of knowledge that might be relevant here!
there is this chemical, called oxytocin! it's said that low amounts of oxytocin are linked to autism, and it affects socializing as well as emotions (and may also cause low empathy, for the low empathy autistics!), yet oxytocin is also related to some feelings experienced while experiencing (romantic) crushes! i suspect that the low amounts of oxytocin autistics might have are related to the number of autistics who do not experience crushes (although some other chemicals might be involved too, but im still researching)!
summary: a chemical called oxytocin which is (among others) involved in romantic crushes has been shown to be lacked among autistics
im interested in brain chemicals so i hope you like this piece of knowledge :D
Totally okay to send non culture-is asks! That sounds interesting, thanks for sharing! Personally I’m very empathetic (it can get irritating when I have to pause a show/put down a book to regroup because of extreme secondhand embarrassment) but I definitely relate to the no romantic attraction part —hence this whole account lol— so it’s interesting to think that the same (lacking) chemical might be partially causing both that and the autism? Idk haha but yeah
