Neurodiversity - The Book

Schizophrenics Are Least Likely to Commit Homicide

Despite public fears to the contrary, a new report published in the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin reveals that schizophrenics are the least likely of any group to commit homicide. According to the report, people have only a one in 14 million risk of being killed by a stranger who has been diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia. ‘What the paper shows, more than anything else, is that the public fear of the mentally ill is completely misplaced," said Dr Matthew Large of the Prince of Wales University. "These events are so rare that they are almost impossible to study, yet the fear of serious violence by the mentally ill is a major cause of stigma,"

Obama Names Neurodiversity Advocate to Key Governmental Post

A White House press release dated December 16, 2009, announced that a prominent neurodiversity advocate, Ari Ne'eman, has been named to a key governmental post.  Obama has named Ne'eman to the National Council on Disability, which is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the president and Congress on issues affecting 54 million Americans with disabilities.  Ne'eman is the founding president of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Vice Chairman of the New Jersey Adults with Autism, and a board member of TASH and the Autism National Committee.  He himself has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.  Earlier this year, Ne'eman was featured in a Newsweek article where he argued that autism is both a disability and a different way of being, and that neurodiversity is a concept that should be accepted by society.   He was also featured in a Good Morning America segment advocating for the rights of people on the autistic spectrum (below). 

 

Kim Peek, The Original "Rain Man," Dies at 58

Kim Peek, who was immortalized by Dustin Hoffman in the Oscar-winning movie "Rain Man" has died of a heart attack at age 58.  Peek, who was originally considered autistic, is now believed to have had FG Syndrome (also known as Opitz-Kaveggia syndrome).  He is perhaps the most famous example of a "savant," that is, an individual with remarkable abilities in the midst of severe disability.  Peek was a veritable walking encyclopedia, having memorized over 12,000 books.  He remembered virtually everything he read.  He appeared publicly in front of over 2,000,000 people, accurately answering obscure questions about history, geography, mathematics, sports, music, and literature from questioners.  Peek was born without a corpus collosum, that bundle of nerves that connects the two hemispheres of the brain.  Some speculate that this may have resulted in unusual connections in his brain that led to his incredible memory. Despite his achievements and abilities, he still required 24-hour care, largely from his father Fran Peek. Kim is survived by his father, Fran, his mother, Jeanne Willey Peek Buchi, and siblings Brian Peek and Alison Peek.

Novelty Gene Found in Boys with ADHD

Researchers have discovered a link between the dopamine D4 receptor 7R allele gene (which has been linked to novelty seeking), and a group of adolescent boys with ADHD.  There is an element of semantics in this, because the D4 gene has also been called the "risk-taking" or "thrill-seeking" gene.  In any case, this gene has been associated with behaviors that involve going beyond the status quo, exploring new territory and taking risks that may produce significant rewards.  ADHD author Thom Hartmann has used the term "Edison gene" in a recent book, after Thomas Edison, who was constantly seeking novel solutions to difficult scientific and technological problems. Hartmann and others have suggested that this gene was very important in prehistoric times (it has also been called the "hunter's gene"). A hunter needed to be always active (hyperactive), always on the alert (hyper-sensitive), and always exploring new terrain for food or to locate predators.  He needed to be willing to risk his life to preserve his clan or discover new sources of sustenance.  New research indicates that this gene may have been linked to better health among wandering tribesmen, but may have caused malnutrition in their more sendentary cousins.  Thus, the gene was beneficial or harmful depending upon the environment in which the individual with the gene found himself.  This is a a fascinating discovery, because it suggests that genes by themselves do not create behaviors, but rather it is a gene in a specific environment that determines the behavior.  In today's world, one only has to think of ADHD boys sitting in a traditional classroom reading textbooks, to realize that there can be a mismatch between genes and particular settings.  Let loose out on a playground or in a park, however, the boys are more likely to be act in congruence with the green setting and be less likely to stick out.  Recent research does indicate that children labeled ADHD are quieter when they are in "green" settings (parks, forests etc.).  What this suggests is that parents and educators should seek appropriate niches for G4 gene kids with the ADHD label to minimize their disruptive behaviors.  In particular, they should be allowed to play more often.

Dyslexics Make Great Entrepreneurs

What do Richard Branson, Charles Schwab, and John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems Inc., all have in common?  Answer:  they're all dyslexic.  They represent three famous examples of what is becoming increasingly more common in the business world: the presence of entrepreneurs who also happen to be dyslexic.  Research carried out  by Julie Logan, a professor of entrepreneurship at Cass Business School in London, reveals that more than a third of the U.S. entrepreneurs studied--35%--identified themselves as dyslexic.  This compares with only 1% of corporate managers.  In an article published in Business Week, William Dennis Jr., senior research fellow at the Research Foundation of the National Federation of Independent Business was quoted as saying: "Entrepreneurs are hands-on people who push a minimum of paper, do lots of stuff orally instead of reading and writing, and delegate authority, all of which suggests a high verbal facility. Compare that with corporate managers who read, read, read."  Similarly, Emerson Dickman, president of the International Dyslexia Association, and himself a dyslexic, noted:  "Individuals who have difficulty reading and writing tend to deploy other strengths. They rely on mentors, and as a result, become very good at reading other people and delegating duties to them. They become adept at using visual strengths to solve problems."  One of the implications of this study is that children and adults who are identified as having dyslexia should also have their strengths identified, and if entrepreneurship is observed, be given opportunities to develop this talent.

Autistic Children Score High on Raven's Intelligence Test

Intelligence tests have often been used to differentiate "high functioning" from "low functioning" individuals with autism.  But a recent study published in the journal Psychological Science suggests that "low functioning" children with autism may in fact score much higher if an alternative intelligence test--the Raven's Progressive Matrices-- is used instead of the more conventional Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC).  This test (see image on left for sample item) assesses abstract reasoning. The scores on the Raven's were on average 30% higher, and in some cases more than 70% higher than their scores on the WISC.  The Raven's Progressive Matrices is considered the most complex single test of intelligence in the scientific literature. These new findings suggest that many autistic children who have thus far been labeled "mentally retarded," may now be considered of average or above average intelligence, and thus be seen in terms of their strengths as well as their difficulties.