A young autistic man sits on a comfy chair and holds a pillow casually to his chest while smiling at the camera. He has tight curly reddish hair and a short red beard and is wearing glasses.

Understanding Autism

This Autism Acceptance Month in April 2026, BrainWise is looking at several different aspects of autism, starting with a basic overview of the condition.
Read more
A preschool-age girl is laying on the floor and giggling. She has long blonde hair and is wearing a turquoise shirt with big white polka dots. She is surrounded by large puzzle pieces showing shapes, numbers and letters.

Autism in Girls Often Goes Undiagnosed

For decades, many believed autism was a male-only condition. But females can also be autistic—as more and more research is showing.
Read more
A preschool-age autistic boy is shown in profile playing with about 12 small cars lined up on a sofa cushion. The boy is wearing a white long-sleeve shirt with a gray T-shirt over it and wearing big blue and red headphones.

Why the World Feels More Intense for Some Autistic People

Some autistic people experience sensory overload and/or intense emotions—creating a clash with the environment around them.
Read more
An autistic girl, about age 7, with long black hair is staring off into the distance while holding cards in her hands. A row of blurry unreadable cards are laid out on the table in front of her.

Why Are Some Autistic People Nonverbal?

About 30% of autistic people in the U.S. are nonverbal or nonspeaking. And we’re not quite sure why.
Read more
A white person's hand is pressed up against a glass window. The image of the hand is fuzzy and shows double the number of fingers. The outside view of nature and houses in the background is also blurry and hard to make out.

How a TBI Can Affect Your Vision

A traumatic brain injury can affect your vision because of the brain’s significant role in the process of seeing.
Read more
Imaging of a retina

Your Eyes Could Be Early Warning Signs for These 6 Diseases

Comprehensive eye exams are important not only for your eyes—but as a window into your overall health too.
Read more
A distorted image shows how a person might see a migraine aura. A scene of a green field with green trees in the distance is disturbed by a fuzzy dark shape on the left surrounded by colorful zigzags.

Suffer from Migraine Auras? It’s in Your Brain, Not Your Eyes

Migraine auras are migraines that affect your vision, typically creating a zigzag or shimmering pattern.
Read more
A scientific model of an eyeball shows the pupil and iris. In the back, a part of the model is cut away to see the inside of the eye.

How Your Vision Works

Sight is very complicated and involves a delicate balance between your eyes and your brain.
Read more
Actor Bruce Willis faces the camera on the right next to his two daughters and his wife, Emma, on the far left. All are smiling and wearing tropical shirts.

Emma Heming Willis Advocates for Caregivers

A Q&A with Emma Heming Willis, wife of actor Bruce Willis, about her unexpected journey of caregiving.
Read more