Rebecca Saxe’s work addresses the human brain’s capacity for abstract thought and the origins of ‘theory of mind,’ the ability to understand the beliefs, hopes and plans of other people.
Rebecca Saxe
Professor
Massachussetts Institute of Technology
From this contributor
U.S. agency backtracks on broad interpretation of ‘clinical trial’
Autism researchers need no longer worry that their basic research will become entangled in the red tape associated with clinical trials.
U.S. agency backtracks on broad interpretation of ‘clinical trial’
By
Hannah Furfaro
6 February 2018 | 6 min read
1985 paper on the theory of mind
In 1985, Simon Baron-Cohen, Alan Leslie and Uta Frith reported for the first time that children with autism systematically fail the false belief task.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Recording warning: Common brain signal may be misunderstood
High gamma activity in electrophysiologic recordings reflects widespread neural activity, not merely local firing, as previously thought.
Recording warning: Common brain signal may be misunderstood
High gamma activity in electrophysiologic recordings reflects widespread neural activity, not merely local firing, as previously thought.
By
Claudia López Lloreda
30 June 2026 | 5 min read
Fructose silences hunger-driving neurons less than glucose does
Two simple sugars show the complexities of gut-brain communication.
Fructose silences hunger-driving neurons less than glucose does
Two simple sugars show the complexities of gut-brain communication.
By
Sarah Thau
30 June 2026 | 3 min read
A new subtyping model for autism phenotypes late in development, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 29 June.
A new subtyping model for autism phenotypes late in development, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 29 June.
By
Sarah Thau
30 June 2026 | 2 min read