Uta Frith

@utafrith.bsky.social

710 followers 180 following 110 posts

Golden Oldie. Likes Social Cognitive Neuroscience. But not only.

Videos

Dame Uta Frith is a German-British developmental psychologist and emeritus professor in cognitive development at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London (UCL). She pioneered much of the current research into autism and dyslexia. Her book Autism: Explaining the Enigma introduced the cognitive neuroscience of autism. She is credited with creating the Sally–Anne test along with fellow scientists Alan Leslie and Simon Baron-Cohen. Among students she has mentored are Tony Attwood, Maggie Snowling, Simon Baron-Cohen and Francesca Happé. .. more

Psychology 48%

Neuroscience 36%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · 3d

Shocked to think of the consequences of political interference on a formerly trusted website.

Christopher Wiggins @cwnewser.bsky.social · 4d

I had terrifying conversations with four former CDC officials, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Dr. Debra Houry, Dr. Dan Jernigan, and Dr. Nikki Romanik, about the formerly prestigious public health agency.

All of them told me that any information coming out of the CDC can no longer be trusted.

Reposted by Uta Frith

Electric Voice Theatre @electricvoice.bsky.social · 3d

Book Now https://shorturl.at/10LVD
Winter Carols by Candlelight @ConwayHall
English Interpreted Performance #BSL
#BritishSignLanguage
7pm–9pm Thurs 11 Dec 2025

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · 3d

Excellent piece by Mary McCarthy on how to overcome the challenges of massive waiting lists for ADHD diagnosis www.independent.ie/opinion/comm...

Mary McCarthy: Why ADHD support at work and school may matter more than formal diagnosis

In a world with greater awareness of ADHD symptoms, the health system cannot cope with the number of people waiting for an assessment.

www.independent.ie

Reposted by Uta Frith

Christopher Wiggins @cwnewser.bsky.social · 4d

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · 11d

Kevin Mitchell tells it as it is. There nothing there! We're easily captured by a simple narrative for an incredibly complex etiology. www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/goi...

Going against the gut: Q&A with Kevin Mitchell

A new review of 15 years of studies on the connection between the microbiome and autism reveals widespread statistical and conceptual errors.

www.thetransmitter.org

Reposted by Uta Frith, Martin Paul Eve

Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 11d

“data show an increase of 10% in submissions & 23% in funded projects from female applicants with the lottery-first approach compared to a previously used procedure. Additionally, the lottery-first approach was estimated to have 68% lower economic costs compared to single-stage peer review approach”

Lottery before peer review is associated with increased female representation and reduced estimated economic cost in a German funding line - Nature Communications

The authors show evidence from a German funding line that a lottery-first approach followed by peer review is accompanied by increased female representation both at the submission stage and among fund...

www.nature.com

Reposted by Uta Frith

Uri Hertz @urihertz.bsky.social · 21d

Very interesting! Related to works on the importance of diversity of opinions, not just connectivity, in reduction of polarization: diversity leads to increased perceived similarity www.pnas.org/doi/suppl/10...
And our work on complex social markers: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

Increased complexity of social category markers leads to diverse rule-based categorizations and reduced intergroup bias | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Social categories are key to human social life, often leading to intergroup bias and stereotypes. While traditional studies use binary social markers, real-world markers are more complex. This study e...

royalsocietypublishing.org

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · 21d

I found this article super-interesting: Why more social interactions lead to more polarization in societies | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

www.pnas.org

Reposted by Uta Frith

Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore @sjblakemore.bsky.social · Oct 21

Brilliant episode of All in the Mind with @claudiahammond.bsky.social, who discusses autism with @utafrith.bsky.social, brain development with @catherineloveday.bsky.social, as well as memory, music and other interesting topics

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

All in the Mind - Are there multiple subtypes of autism, and how vivid are your memories? - BBC Sounds

A new study suggests that autism’s genetic profile differs with age at diagnosis.

www.bbc.co.uk

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Oct 20

Very concerning. Thank you Dorothy, for calling out this folly.

Dorothy Bishop @deevybee.bsky.social · Oct 20

New blogpost on my concerns about Wellcome LEAP new $50m program on autism/microbiome links. deevybee.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-le...
#autism #microbiome #biomarkers #diagnostic

A LEAP into the future, or off a cliff: Wellcome LEAP's new $50M program

A few days ago, I saw this post on LinkedIn: How does the gut microbiome shape early brain development? That’s what FORM, a new $50 million...

deevybee.blogspot.com

Reposted by Mark Petticrew, Uta Frith, Brigitte Nerlich , and 3 more Mark Petticrew, Uta Frith, Brigitte Nerlich, Martin Paul Eve, Rebecca Sear, Christina Pagel

Dorothy Bishop @deevybee.bsky.social · Oct 20

New blogpost on my concerns about Wellcome LEAP new $50m program on autism/microbiome links. deevybee.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-le...
#autism #microbiome #biomarkers #diagnostic

A LEAP into the future, or off a cliff: Wellcome LEAP's new $50M program

A few days ago, I saw this post on LinkedIn: How does the gut microbiome shape early brain development? That’s what FORM, a new $50 million...

deevybee.blogspot.com

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Oct 19

For a thorough dismissal of the acetaminophen scare read this editorial by Eric Fombonne
First published: 17 October 2025
doi.org/10.1111/jcpp...
..."no evidence for a causal association...singling out acetaminophen use to ‘prevent’ autism was unscientific and truly irresponsible".

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Oct 17

What could be better to uplift you on a grey day.

Tate Collection @tate.bsky.social · Oct 17

Bridget Riley, Nataraja, 1993
https://botfrens.com/collections/14375/contents/1128733

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Oct 17

An important analysis and warning.
How spreading mental health information can be (un‐) helpful – a dynamic systems approach - Marcotulli - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry - Wiley Online Library acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

<em>Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry</em> | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library

Increasing awareness of mental health problems, including that of young people, is generally seen as positive, and many interventions to increase awareness are underway internationally. Yet, a princi...

acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Uta Frith

Emilie Caspar @emiliecaspar.bsky.social · Oct 17

New research in Rwanda has started ! We continue to try to understand what differs those who participate in a génocide, and those who instead risk their lives to save others.

Here is a picture of our novel and ecological risk-taking task, inspired by the BART.

Reposted by Uta Frith

Tate Collection @tate.bsky.social · Oct 17

Bridget Riley, Nataraja, 1993
https://botfrens.com/collections/14375/contents/1128733

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Oct 13

Making a real difference.

Karen Masters @karenlmasters.bsky.social · Oct 12

Jess Wade is amazing, and it's my absolute honour to be one of the more than 2000 women in STEM whose wikipedia page she started: mymodernmet.com/jessica-wade... 🧪🔭👩‍🔬

Meet the Physicist Who Wrote Over 2,000 Wikipedia Biographies for Women in STEM

After noticing a lack of entries on Wikipedia for incredible women throughout history, this incredible woman decided to take matters into her own hands.

mymodernmet.com

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Uta Frith, David N. Thomas , and 2 more Dorothy Bishop, Uta Frith, David N. Thomas, John R. Hutchinson, Steve Peers

Karen Masters @karenlmasters.bsky.social · Oct 12

Jess Wade is amazing, and it's my absolute honour to be one of the more than 2000 women in STEM whose wikipedia page she started: mymodernmet.com/jessica-wade... 🧪🔭👩‍🔬

Meet the Physicist Who Wrote Over 2,000 Wikipedia Biographies for Women in STEM

After noticing a lack of entries on Wikipedia for incredible women throughout history, this incredible woman decided to take matters into her own hands.

mymodernmet.com

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Oct 2

Many congratulations, Masud!!

Masud Husain @masudhusain.bsky.social · Feb 23

A big thank you to all those who have been so positive about my new book. It's about how neurological patients can tell us so much about our selves, how personal and social identities are forged by different cognitive functions, and what it means to belong.

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Oct 2

A brilliant book- can’t recommend it highly enough. Congratulations to Masud Husain!

Five Books - Expert Book Recommendations @fivebooks.com · Oct 1

NEWS: “A beautiful exploration of how problems in our brains can cause us to change." "Our Brains, Our Selves" by Masud Husain wins the 2025 Royal Society (@royalsociety.org) Trivedi Science Book Prize:
fivebooks.com/book/our-bra...

Our Brains, Our Selves: What a Neurologist’s Patients Taught Him About the Brain

🏆 Winner of the 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize

fivebooks.com

Reposted by Uta Frith

Five Books - Expert Book Recommendations @fivebooks.com · Oct 1

Our Brains, Our Selves: What a Neurologist’s Patients Taught Him About the Brain

🏆 Winner of the 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize

fivebooks.com

Reposted by Uta Frith

Simon Fisher @profsimonfisher.bsky.social · Oct 1

Here's a nice clear explainer of the main findings from the new autism study, by @hannahdevlin.bsky.social, including comments from @utafrith.bsky.social.

Autism should not be seen as single condition with one cause, say scientists

Those diagnosed as small children typically have distinct genetic profile from those diagnosed later, study finds

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Uta Frith

Dr Ellie Murray, ScD @epiellie.bsky.social · Sep 25

If you’ve been following the RFK Jr autism news, then you’ve probably heard that there’s a systematic review “proving” Tylenol causes autism.

Here’s my review of that paper👇🏼

open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

The best evidence Tylenol causes autism isn't great

On Monday, RFK Jr announced Tylenol ‘causes’ autism referencing three studies as evidence. Let's dive in.

open.substack.com

Reposted by Uta Frith

Sam Wang @samwang.bsky.social · Sep 25

Here's the key chart from that piece.

Note what's on here with significant risk: genetic inheritance (twin on autism spectrum, sibling), third trimester stress, and factors that can affect maternal/paternal DNA.

What doesn't carry risk? SSRIs. Sonograms. And vaccination. All very well tested.

Uta Frith @utafrith.bsky.social · Sep 24

Is the outgroup is immoral (dishonest, corrupt) by definition?

Jay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel.bsky.social · Sep 24

Therefore, the fundamental question driving moral expression is: “what does my group consider moral?”

osf.io/preprints/ps...

Led by @KareenadelRosario and @TessaWest

OSF

osf.io

Reposted by Uta Frith

Jay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel.bsky.social · Sep 24

Therefore, the fundamental question driving moral expression is: “what does my group consider moral?”

osf.io/preprints/ps...

Led by @KareenadelRosario and @TessaWest

OSF

osf.io

Reposted by Uta Frith

The Royal Society @royalsociety.org · Sep 8

Marthe Vogt FRS, who was born #OnThisDay in 1903, was one of the 20th century's leading neuroscientists, with a research career spanning 50 years. She is best known for her work to understand the role of neurotransmitters like epinephrine. #WomenInSTEM