Liberty University Student Introduces Two New Neuroscience Terms in Debut Book

LYNCHBURG, Va. - May 23, 2026 - PRLog -- Lynchburg, VA — William Cormier, a Registered Behavior Technician and graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Liberty University's School of Behavioral Sciences, has published his first book, HyperSensory-Motofixation: A New Framework for Understanding Sensory Fixation, Self-Regulation, and the Neuroscience of the Digital Age.

The book introduces two original terms: HyperSensory-Motofixation (HSM) and Induced Transient Neurodivergent-Like State (ITNLS). Both appear in published literature for the first time.

HSM describes a pattern in which an individual demonstrates sustained, regulatory visual attention toward stimuli characterized by velocity-variable motion, high contrast, and rhythmic dynamics. The term emerged from Cormier's clinical work providing applied behavior analysis services to children.

"I first noticed the pattern in a six-year-old boy who fixated on a box fan, specifically on the moments when the blades sped up and slowed down," Cormier said. "His nervous system was using that visual input to regulate."

Cormier observed the same pattern across dozens of children at different ages and developmental levels. No existing term captured what he was seeing.

ITNLS proposes that sustained engagement with vertical short-form video platforms may temporarily produce cognitive and behavioral features in neurotypical individuals that overlap with characteristics of autism spectrum disorder. Cormier emphasizes that ITNLS is a hypothesis for future research, not a diagnosis.

The book's roots extend beyond the clinic. Cormier grew up with two adopted uncles, Richard and Larry, both with intellectual disabilities, who engaged in sensory-regulatory behaviors decades before the world had the vocabulary to understand them.

"They were doing what the children in my practice do today," Cormier said. "This book provides the words."

The book cites over 46 peer-reviewed sources and includes clinical assessment tools, a glossary, and practical guidance for clinicians, educators, and parents.

Available on Amazon Kindle at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2MDLQHY

Published by Lakeshore Academic Publishing.

About the Author: William Cormier, M.S., RBT, is pursuing his graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University with plans to earn a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. Contact: wscormier@liberty.edu