Mind Mysteries
Magnetic resonance image of a brain. The grey C-shaped structure visible at the center of the brain is a corpus callosum. Many born without this structure go undiagnosed for years—only neuroimaging can confirm the agenesis, or failed development, of this brain area. Instead people are diagnosed with disorders such as autism, depression, or ADHD. Sarah Mellnik, a young woman –introduced in Scientific American Mind‘s “The Mystery of the Missed Connection“– who has known about her agenesis of the corpus callosum all of her life explains that in sharing experiences, she and those around her learn that they truly are not alone. “If
How Does Autism Rewire The Brain?
Potential clues to how autism miswires the brain are emerging from a study of a rare, purely genetic form of a disorder that affects fewer than 20 people worldwide. Using cutting-edge technology, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health ha