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
Hasty stem cells highlight potential limitation with cortical organoids
The models recapitulate many key developmental processes, but some radial glial cells in mouse organoids make neurons earlier than they should.
Hasty stem cells highlight potential limitation with cortical organoids
The models recapitulate many key developmental processes, but some radial glial cells in mouse organoids make neurons earlier than they should.
By
Giorgia Guglielmi
22 September 2026 | 4 min read
Two populations of neurons, two effects on sociability; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 21 September.
Two populations of neurons, two effects on sociability; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 21 September.
By
Jill Adams
22 September 2026 | 2 min read
Finding the Rett syndrome gene and ways to fix it
Kevin Mitchell talks with Huda Zoghbi about her work identifying the MECP2 gene, its role in the brain and therapies to address its dysfunction.
Finding the Rett syndrome gene and ways to fix it
Kevin Mitchell talks with Huda Zoghbi about her work identifying the MECP2 gene, its role in the brain and therapies to address its dysfunction.
By
Kevin Mitchell
21 September 2026 | 4 min read