A state of mind The truth about neurodiversity

Growing understanding of ADHD and autism has led to an increase in diagnosis. We look at the science helping to improve people’s lives

- Ian Sample

It was in the mid 90s that neurodiversity as a formal concept and a rights movement began to emerge. Aided by the internet, autistic people and those with other conditions were able to connect and began sharing their experiences: what they had in common, how their lives differed.

A recurring theme was how many felt marginalised, pushed out of a society that embraced only typical ways of being in the world. The phrase "neurological diversity" cropped up in their discussions, which along with "neurodiversity" appeared in magazine articles later that decade.

Neurodiversity has clear parallels with biodiversity. It champions difference and the validity of individuals. It holds that a vaguely defined majority can be described as neurotypical, with brains that operate in a broadly similar way. Others, meanwhile, are neurodivergent, with brains that are built and work somewhat differently.

Neurodivergent people may be diagnosed with a range of conditions, and many co-occur in the same individual. There is no definitive list, but autism (and what was once known as Asperger's syndrome) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are common, as are dyslexia, a learning difficulty that affects reading and writing, and dyspraxia, which manifests as difficulties in movement and coordination.

As a concept and a movement, neurodiversity is reshaping thinking in science, social science and medicine. Neurodivergent people are more involved in the research and in the language used to describe them. Questions are being asked about research priorities, ethics and whether studies really benefit neurodivergent people.