Martha Herbert, PhD, MD
TRANSCEND Research Program
Pediatric Neurology
Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Center for Morphometric Analysis
Massachusetts General Hospital
Harvard Medical School
www.TRANSCENDresearch.org
www.AutismRevolution.org
www.autismWHYandHOW.org

Physical and biological needs of the brain must be met as a precondition for “higher” functions to be performed. These are performed by an array of cell and tissue types without which neurons could not live or function. The quality of health, lifestyle and environment can profoundly affect these physical and biological parameters. Transduction of biology into electrophysiological signaling is vulnerable to poor physical and biological health. Taking a whole body approach to brain health can revolutionize health practices, medicine and research

HYPOTHESIS
For at least many, “autism” involves “obstruction” of capacities rather than “impairment” or lack of capacities.

Testing the model: Studying brain change
• If autism develops over the first year or two of life rather than being present from birth this challenges the “it’s all prenatal development” assumption
• If brain changes can be reversed through environmental/medical intervention this challenges the hard-wired assumption
• Testing: Using measures of different aspects of the brain (structure, tissue metabolism, electromagnetic function, blood flow) to see how the different levels of function/dysfunction relate to each other.