Past autism research has often been dedicated to tracing the causes of the disorder to a localized neurological abnormality, a single functional network, or a single cognitive-behavioral domain. In this review, I argue that autism is a "distributed disorder" on various levels of study (genetic, neuroanatomical, neurofunctional, behavioral).…

We calculated visual ability in 13 strains of mice (129SI/Sv1mJ, A/J, AKR/J, BALB/cByJ, C3H/HeJ, C57BL/6J, CAST/EiJ, DBA/2J, FVB/NJ, MOLF/EiJ, SJL/J, SM/J, and SPRET/EiJ) on visual detection, pattern discrimination, and visual acuity and tested these and other mice of the same strains in a behavioral test battery that evaluated visuo-spatial…

Functional brain imaging has overshadowed traditional lesion studies in becoming the dominant approach to the study of brain-behavior relationships. The proponents of functional imaging studies frequently argue that this approach provides an advantage over lesion studies by observing normal brain activity in vivo without the disruptive effects of…

Objective: According to DSM-IV, bipolar disorders (BDs) include four subtypes, BD I, BD II, cyclothymic disorder, and BD not otherwise specified (NOS). We explore the clinical implications of this subtyping in a naturalistic sample of referred youths with BD I, BD II, and BD-NOS. Method: The sample consisted of 217 patients, 135 males and 82…

Despite several decades of research suggesting the importance of both genetic and environmental factors, these findings are not well integrated into the larger educational literature. Following a discussion of quantitative and molecular genetic methods, this article reviews behavioral genetic findings related to cognitive and academic skills. This…

This study is part of a broader project aimed at developing cognitive and neurocognitive profiles of adolescent and young adult readers whose educational and occupational prospects are constrained by their limited literacy skills. We explore the relationships among reading-related abilities in participants ages 16 to 24 years spanning a wide range…

Childhood is a time when students are naturally curious and want to pursue their interests by learning all they can about the things that intrigue them. This interest-stimulated learning is a valuable template because it is compatible with the research discoveries of neuroimaging--what the brain looks like while it actively processes information.…

Many people with the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome (AS) show poorly developed skills in understanding emotional messages. The present study addressed discrimination of speech prosody in children with AS at neurophysiological level. Detection of affective prosody was investigated in one-word utterances as indexed by the N1 and the mismatch…

Every year, the Emerging Scholars edition features a diverse group of rising researchers, thinkers and leaders in various fields. Their credentials and accomplishments distinguish them, but it's the level of social consciousness among the members of this year's class that makes them truly excellent. Whether it's lending a hand to society's…

Neurological examination of children includes the screening for soft neurological signs (NSS). There is little knowledge about their evolution during adolescence, except that their lasting presence has been associated with developmental, psychological, and cognitive disorders. We report the results of a NSS exam (assessing gross and fine motor…

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between constructivism and neural organization. Support is given for a constructivist epistemology in current brain theory. A brief description of constructivism is provided, followed by the implication of this set of beliefs for viewing humans as self-organizing systems. What has been…

Earlier reports of the pain of putting hand and forearm in circulating ice water were recomputed to study how subjects scale that pain and to find appropriate measures of its reduction under hypnotic analgesia. (Editor)

Progress is now being made toward ascertaining the specific effects of rearing conditions on brain and behavior, the properties of the environment that contribute to these effects, and the developmental periods in which brain tissue is most sensitive to environmental modification. (Author/RH)

The desired role of a neurologist on an interdisciplinary team serving mentally handicapped patients is described. (GW)

Research supported by U.S. Public Health Service Grant MH-6415.