Good news! Those of us who are autistic are finally starting to get more recognition as to the important part of the population that we are. This follows closely on recent revelations in the Lancet that there is a close relationship between autism, bipolar, major depression, and schizophrenia. Just as autism is now understood to …
Category: Neuroscience
Mar 02
What Does It Mean To Be WEIRD? Can Penguins Fly?
WEIRD = “Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic” Why is that also “weird” in the sense of being unusual? Because it is. WEIRD people like me represent only a small fraction of the world’s population, yet our “science” often assumes that what is true of our culture is universally true. Researchers had been doing the …
Feb 09
What Modern Technology Tells Us About Two Famous 19th-Century Brains
Maria Konnikova has posted a fascinating account of how recent brain scans of two preserved brains (one from 1861) has expanded our understanding of Broca’s aphasia. Along the way, she tells the story of the origins of what is today called cognitive neuroscience. In 2007, a team of researchers led by Nina Dronkers, at the …
Dec 29
The Disinformation Continues
In the New York Times, no less. Although I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, given their recent history of publishing really terrible pieces about autism, particularly at the height of the DSM-5 controversy. And, as it turns out, the author of one of those pieces is back, this time to dis schizophrenic people. I wonder which population …
Dec 28
Who’s the Scientist Here?
My friend Ariane has written a post about her reaction to being attacked by someone who didn’t agree with her writing. If you know Ariane or have benefited from reading her blog, please go there and place a supporting comment. I did. I think we all know how traumatizing it is to be criticized in …