Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Kisharon and Langdon, two leading organisations dedicated to supporting individuals with learning disabilities and autism, have announced their merger after a rigorous two-year process. The newly formed entity, Kisharon Langdon, aims to offer the best possible opportunities for the Jewish learning disability and autism community to thrive. The merged organisation will be better placed to…

Photo Credit: Free image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay University of Haifa researchers have discovered a significant association between autism and an accelerated development of neurons during the embryonic stage. The findings shed new light on the potential origins of autism and open up possibilities for new treatments. An estimated 75 million people have autism…

The evening was supposed to be a special one for Christine Gallinaro and her son. They had tickets for Disney’s “Elemental” at Showtimes at Cinemark Hazlet 12 in Monmouth County, N.J. Gallinaro’s son, who is 15 years old, is nonverbal and has autism. He loves watching most movies until the end, often insisting they stay…

Credit: Unsplash+ A new study reveals alarming suicide rates and self-harm behaviors among autistic doctors. The study, led by Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Thomas Jefferson University, and Autistic Doctors International, found that a quarter (24%) of autistic doctors have attempted suicide, over three-quarters (77%) have considered it, and nearly half (49%) have engaged in…

Devices have become a crucial part of contemporary life. They offer incredible benefits, from helping us maintain connections to providing practical tools for day-to-day existence. If you have children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), technology can provide additional advantages, helping them navigate their experience’s challenges. Nevertheless, it’s essential to recognize that focusing too heavily on…

The COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation measures changed how people accessed health care services and engaged in their communities. Access to appropriate services and accommodations help autistic individuals in maintaining employment, pursuing education, caring for their health and establishing independence. Because autistic people often have greater health care needs than non-autistic peers, the pandemic-related changes in…

The New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City is undergoing an audit and a change in leadership following a suicide that occurred during one of its clinical trials. Autism researcher Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele has abruptly taken the helm as the interim executive director of the institute and chair of the Columbia University psychiatry department,…

Summary: Researchers shed new light on how genetics may influence the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study, the largest ever to focus on families with multiple children diagnosed with autism, has revealed seven potential risk genes. Additionally, it has provided genetic evidence for reconsidering language delay as a key component of ASD. These…

Super fanz: The Fanzor protein (shown modeled in the image) from a fungus can edit DNA in human cells. Scientists have found a CRISPR-like enzyme with DNA-cutting abilities in eukaryotes, and they say they can program it to edit the human genome. The new gene editor, called Fanzor, is more compact than the enzymes used…