Understanding Neurodivergence

ADHD and Autism Show No Evidence of Accelerated Brain Aging, New Study Finds

A large 2026 neuroimaging study in PLOS Medicine compared nine neurological and psychiatric conditions. The result: neither ADHD nor autism showed premature brain aging.

Jul 27, 2026 Read more →

🔬 Science

Copper and the Brain: What the Science Says (and Why Hair Mineral Tests Are Not the Answer)

Copper is genuinely important for brain chemistry, but hair tissue mineral analysis is not a validated way to test it. Here is what the actual research says about copper, mood, cognition and sleep.

Jul 24, 2026 Read more →

Is Autism "Linked to Neanderthal DNA"? Here's the Real 2024 Study.

A viral post claims autism is linked to Neanderthal DNA in modern humans. There is a real, peer-reviewed 2024 study behind this - but autistic people don't carry more Neanderthal DNA overall, the effect is specific to certain rare variants, and it depends heavily on ancestry.

Jul 22, 2026 Read more →

"Studies Confirm" People With Similar Autistic Traits Are Attracted to Each Other? Here's the Real Research.

A viral post claims studies confirm people with similar autistic traits feel mutually attracted to each other. There is a real, named research area behind this - "assortative mating" in autism - but no study has actually measured romantic attraction, and the evidence contradicts itself depending on how it's measured.

Jul 17, 2026 Read more →

"Brain Fog Genetics": A Checklist of 15 Genes Across 6 Conditions. Here's What Actually Holds Up.

A viral genetics checklist links brain fog to celiac disease, lupus, POTS, inflammation, oxidative stress, and "detox genes" for mold toxins. One of these has solid evidence. Several are real conditions with unproven gene-to-symptom links. One is a red flag straight out of consumer-genetics marketing.

Jul 15, 2026 Read more →

Autism, ADHD, and Anorexia Share a Gut Microbiome Pattern. Here's What the Study Actually Found.

A 2025 study found children with autism, ADHD, and anorexia nervosa share similar gut bacteria imbalances - and linked them to appetite hormones. Real findings from 117 children - but "opens the way to targeted treatments" is not something this study actually shows.

Jul 15, 2026 Read more →

Are Autism and Schizophrenia "Byproducts" of Human Intelligence? Here's the Real Study.

A viral post claims autism and schizophrenia are natural byproducts of the genes that made human intelligence possible. There is a real 2024/2025 study behind this - but the researchers themselves are far more cautious than the post lets on, and one of its central claims doesn't hold up at all.

Jul 13, 2026 Read more →

Genetics and Serotonin Keep Showing Up in ADHD Content. Here's What's Actually Solid.

TPH1/TPH2, SLC6A4, HTR1/HTR2 - serotonin gene explainers are everywhere right now. Some of it is textbook-accurate. Some of it is one researcher's theory presented as settled fact. And serotonin isn't even ADHD's primary biology - here's where it actually matters.

Jul 10, 2026 Read more →

Children With ADHD Have More Parasitic and Infectious Diseases. Here's What That Actually Means.

A 2022 study found children with ADHD had higher rates of intestinal parasites, and a large Israeli cohort of 50,000+ children found more infections overall. Real findings - but not proof that parasites cause ADHD, and definitely not a reason to try deworming as treatment.

Jul 09, 2026 Read more →

ADHD and Your Heart: 15 Shared Genes Link ADHD to Cardiovascular Disease

A November 2025 genome-wide study found 15 genetic loci shared between ADHD and 5 major cardiovascular diseases. Mendelian randomization shows ADHD genetic risk causally raises heart disease risk - partly through BMI and smoking, which are modifiable.

Jul 08, 2026 Read more →