Brainwaves

john-elder-robison

A relatively small number of early clinical studies have suggested the promise of TMS as a treatment for autism. Further, remarkable personal experiences have been reported by a few individuals who experienced notable improvements — including John Robison, the author of the forthcoming book Switched On about his dramatic change in affect and social functioning following TMS stimulation, and CPF founder Kim Hollingsworth Taylor’s son Nathaniel. Although these accounts are anecdotal, they serve as an intriguing signpost that this area of study is worth pursuing.

One prominent public example of having improved in social skills and other executive functioning after TMS is the best-selling author John Elder Robison, author of Look Me in the Eye, Be Different, and Raising Cubby.

Robison has autism, but found his ability to navigate what he called the “social disabilities” of his condition to be dramatically improved after a series of TMS treatments by the Harvard-based researchers.

John describes his experiences here:  http://jerobison.blogspot.com/p/use-of-tms-transcranial-magnetic.html

Check out the below before and after videos:

Before  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvUgFoHsEmU  

After  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIZsYGxXHis

In Johns words:

“The difference is striking.  The range in my voice, the life in my face, my animation and engagement . . . it’s remarkable.”  “What TMS gave me is the same ability the other 99% of humanity takes for granted – the ability to read ordinary nonverbal cues from people.  That’s the grease that makes social interaction work.”