Emily Sohn is a freelance journalist in Minneapolis. She writes mainly about health, science, adventure and complex conservation questions. Her stories have appeared in Nature, the Washington Post, NPR, Aeon, bioGraphic and many other publications. See more at www.tidepoolsinc.com.
![Headshot of Emily Sohn.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EmilySohnCCcopy_170x170_acf_cropped.jpg)
Emily Sohn
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Maiken Nedergaard’s power of disruption
The award-winning researcher’s discoveries have changed the way we think about the brain; that’s exactly what her critics dislike.
![Maiken Nedergaard, Britta Engelhardt and Christer Betsholtz on a floating rock island with university facilities and abstract shapes.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Transmitter-Nedergaard-TRUE-final-1024x683.jpg)
Maiken Nedergaard’s power of disruption
Rising star: Ann Kennedy bridges gap between biology, computational theory
A theoretical neuroscientist, Kennedy uses a blend of computational modeling and real-world experiments to understand how brain activity shapes the behaviors of animals that model autism and other conditions.
![Ann Kennedy stands against the wall of a brightly lit hallway wearing a black and red dress.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/kennedy-hallway-844.jpg)
Rising star: Ann Kennedy bridges gap between biology, computational theory
Low standards corrode quality of popular autism therapy
Rapid growth and inadequate standards in the 'applied behavior analysis' industry may put vulnerable children in the hands of poorly prepared technicians.
![Illustration depicts mother and child facing a field of doors: some are dark and some are light](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ABAlede844.jpg)
Low standards corrode quality of popular autism therapy
The blurred line between autism and intellectual disability
Doctors often conflate autism and intellectual disability, and no wonder: The biological distinction between them is murky. Scientific progress depends on knowing where the conditions intersect — and part ways.
![Illustration shows a boy with converging patterns overlapping; these lines signify autism and intellectual disability.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IDLead844.jpg)
The blurred line between autism and intellectual disability
How abuse mars the lives of autistic people
Many people with autism experience a triad of trauma: neglect at home, abuse from trusted adults and bullying at school or work.
Explore more from The Transmitter
New connectomes fly beyond the brain
Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.
![Research image of neurons in the fly’s ventral nerve cord.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/lede-motormodules-1200-1024x692.webp)
New connectomes fly beyond the brain
Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.
Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman
A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.
![Illustration of researchers talking to laypeople amidst strands of DNA.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1200_Charman-1024x687.webp)
Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman
A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.
Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing
The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/paincircuit-1200-1024x692.webp)
Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing
The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.