The Boy Who Felt Too Much

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An international bestseller, this story reveals how Henry Markram's groundbreaking theory on autism emerged from his family's unconditional love. Markram, a leading figure in neuroscience and the visionary behind the billion-dollar Blue Brain Project, aims to decode all mental disturbances within a generation. His motivation is deeply personal, stemming from his son Kai's autism. Raising Kai challenged Markram's understanding of neuroscience and led to his revolutionary research that contradicted prevailing views on autism, culminating in the Intense World Syndrome theory. Upon Kai's diagnosis, Markram, despite his extensive knowledge of the brain, felt the same helplessness as any parent facing such a challenge. He found the prevailing belief that autism represented a deficit of empathy to be inconsistent with his experiences with Kai. Convinced that autism was fundamentally misunderstood, he applied his cutting-edge research to develop a radical new perspective: individuals like Kai do not feel too little; they feel too much. Their heightened sensitivity to sensory input makes the world overwhelming. This shift in understanding not only reflects Markram's personal journey but also promises to reshape the scientific landscape surrounding autism.