Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Nosing around: Mice that receive a social reward after poking their noses in a hole (top) tend to spend more time near that hole compared with controls given no reward (bottom), position heatmaps show. A new assay measures how much effort a mouse exerts to interact with another mouse and gauges the animal’s level of…

When this 16-year-old woman’s brother, who is now 9, was born, her parents didn’t have much time for her anymore. Then, things got even worse after her brother turned 3 and was diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Since then, her mom has always been extremely busy with her brother, and her dad is barely…

Autistic people are at a much higher risk of self-harm leading to emergency care or suicide, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open. In particular, the study found, autistic females had an 83% increased risk of self-harm compared to non-autistic females, while for males, the increased risk compared to non-autistic individuals was…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has long been a topic of discussion and research within the education and health sectors. When it comes to education, finding evidence-based autism teaching strategies is so important. With a myriad of research suggesting various methods, learn more about some of the most effective approaches to teaching students with autism, combining…

By VITTORIA D’ALESSIO Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that has been intensely investigated since the mid-20th century. It’s estimated that ASD affects around 1 in 100 children and mainly boys. Studies suggest that ASD is closely linked to genetics. The basic challenge is untangling the relationships between the many genes involved…

“I do not consider Autism/Asperger’s to be a disability but rather a brain that functions differently from the neurotypical brain,” says Beau Shenkenberg, who was diagnosed at two with the then-termed Asperger’s syndrome. In 2013, Asperger’s syndrome was absorbed into the encompassing diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Specifically, those with a diagnosis of Asperger’s would…

Pastor Octavia “Taye” Roberts has social media divided on how she prayed over a young Black boy on the autism spectrum. Roberts, a co-pastor of Open Wings Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, posted the now-viral clip on her TikTok account Aug. 4. The Christian ministry head and mother of seven passionately prayed over the innocent child’s…

For 20 years, a young woman was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, rather than the chronic inflammation in her body and brain caused by a very treatable form of atypical lupus. The correct diagnosis led to appropriate treatment and a significant turnaround in her quality of life. For those 20 years she had been institutionalized and loaded…