Mini-brains and space travel: how Brazil is becoming an autism innovation hub

An increasing amount of autism-related content is appearing on TikTok and Instagram reels around the world, as autistic individuals, parents of autistic children, psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists take to social media to explain autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The output covers a wide range, from influencers using their public platform to share insights into what life is like on the autism spectrum, to others discussing “signs” that might indicate a person is autistic.

This increase in content goes hand in hand with a spurt in numbers of people diagnosed with ASD. The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that one in every 36 children up to the age of eight in that country has the disorder. The CDC’s number in 2000 was one in 150.

Similar trends are seen in Brazil. The 2022 School Census study showed that the number of students with ASD enrolled in public and private schools rose by 280 percent between 2017 and 2021. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated Brazil had two million individuals with ASD, although this number has surely risen considerably since, but updated numbers are unavailable.

Experts say the significant increase in individuals with autism aren’t necessarily “new” ASD cases, rather they are existing cases that are gaining more visibility. 

“This is due to a series of factors, including better diagnoses, greater social acceptance, and an increase in case registration in recent years. All of this has brought more visibility to the autism spectrum in the media, increasing social awareness,” explains Brazilian biologist Alysson Muotri, professor at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, and director of the Center for Integrated Stem Cell Education and Research in Orbit.

As part of his research into autism and the brain, Mr....