Neuroscience

Leaving The Ivory Tower Of Asperger Syndrome

I have been an educator for more than 20 years, and I have been an individual with Asperger syndrome for my entire life. I wasn't always aware of my autism, and more specifically, I wasn't self-aware as an autistic person. This is because I was d ...

Article - Valerie Paradiz - Apr 9 2010 - 12:55am

Defining Autism

Autism is an elusive disorder in all respects. Symptoms and behaviors vary greatly between individuals, and even within individuals day-to-day. Theories regarding causes and cures for autism ebb and flow throughout the media, sweeping us up daily in combat ...

Article - Kimberly Crandell - Apr 11 2010 - 11:44pm

Four Hurdles For A Scientific Theory Of Music

There’s a good chance that you’re listening to music while reading this, and if you happen not to be, my bet is that you listen to music in the car, or at home, or while jogging. In all likelihood, you love music – simply love it. Why?  What is it about t ...

Article - Mark Changizi - Apr 6 2010 - 12:37pm

Music Therapy No Help To Dyslexics

There is no link between a lack of musical ability and dyslexia, and attempts to treat dyslexia with music therapy are unwarranted, according to a study in the International Journal of Arts and Technology. Research into dyslexia has pointed to a problem wi ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 8 2010 - 12:09pm

Social Skills Training For Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders

About a dozen teens with social-communication disorders sit in a tight circle, cradled in couches and chairs in a conference room at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute. They listen intently as Marjorie Solomon, the leader of the Institute’s social skills trai ...

Article - Kimberly Crandell - Apr 13 2010 - 11:51pm

"Social Fear" The Source Of Racial Prejudice, Study Claims

A study published in Current Biology suggests that children with Williams Syndrome are not inherently racist like the rest of the population and may help experts develop interventions designed to reduce discriminatory attitudes towards minority groups. Pre ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 12 2010 - 1:57pm

First Direct Evidence For Mirror Neurons Found

Mirror neurons are the cells in the brain that fire not only when we perform a particular action but also when we watch someone else perform that same action. Neuroscientists believe this "mirroring" is the mechanism by which we can "read&qu ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 13 2010 - 7:03pm

The Physics Of Parenting On The Autism Spectrum

For me, parenting a child with autism sometimes feels like taking high school physics. I was never a science-minded kid. I was a writer. I did theater. I was all about the liberal arts. But, science and me? We never really hit it off. Despite that, I enrol ...

Article - Mom NOS - Apr 16 2010 - 10:00am

Why Humans Resist Instant Gratification

Researchers have identified the brain circuit that underlies our ability to resist instant gratification in order to earn a better payoff. The effort provides insight, scientists say, into the capacity for "mental time travel," also known as epis ...

Article - News Staff - Apr 14 2010 - 12:50pm

Autism Basic Science And Intervention Through Art

Blythe Corbett’s insights may be unique among researchers developing new interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders – at the M.I.N.D. Institute or elsewhere. Corbett’s Social Emotional NeuroScience Endocrinology (SENSE) lab focuses chiefly o ...

Article - Kimberly Crandell - Apr 26 2010 - 12:57pm