Can Autism Unlock Hidden Mental Powers?
Neuroscience may shed light on where these abilities sit in the brain.
Posted November 21, 2025 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods
The Telepathy Tapes podcast is a fascinating window into the world of autism research and advocacy, exploring the rich mental world of autistic individuals. With scientific rigor and thoughtful journalism, it validates that many non-verbal individuals with autism can, in fact, hear the thoughts of others. They can hear the thoughts of individuals who live far away, and even those who have crossed to the other side.
Along with the important advocacy work for autism rights and training in ‘spelling’ (a.k.a., using a letterboard to communicate), The Telepathy Tape s posits broader questions, from what is the nature of consciousness to how can we build our telepathic abilities.
Neuroscience offers a lens into these questions. By understanding how an autistic brain processes information differently from a ‘normal’ brain, we may start to connect how these abilities come to be. One important lens is the neuroscience of our thoughts.
Our attention is driven by two distinct thought networks. The Central Executive Network (CEN) is the thoughts we have when we focus on something. When we write an email, or read a news story, or listen closely to a friend in distress, we are using the CEN. The Default Mode Network (DMN) is the thoughts we listen to. The DMN is our inner monologue, which narrates our day and often beats us up with self-critical thoughts around how we could be better or do better. It scans our environment for social and societal norms, nudging us to do more and be more like others to fit in and survive. These two networks operate like a light switch: when one is on, the other is off.
In individuals with autism, fMRI studies show that there is hypoactivation of the DMN, meaning that in situations that would normally make the DMN fire, like judging how well the self is being received in a social situation, their DMNs do not engage. Other studies indicate that they exhibit impaired within-DMN connectivity. The areas do not connect as well, meaning that individuals with autism may not experience the same extent of self-referential processing (Do I look good in this? Was that funny enough? Is she cooler than I am?) that neurotypicals do.
On the flip side, individuals with autism can exhibit increased within-CEN connectivity, meaning that they can have a superpower in focusing. Another population that shows strong CEN performance is heavy meditators. In fact, a strong meditation practice has been shown in brain imaging research to strengthen the CEN and weaken the DMN so much that it produces structural changes in the brain.
What happens when the opposite is true, that the DMN is strong and the CEN is weak? This brain patterning correlates with major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and general depressive and anxiety symptoms. DMN hyperconnectivity has been linked to intrusive thoughts and rumination. Our self-referential processing takes over, and the CEN can’t step in to help us focus on the external world or things that bring us joy. Think of it like a really loud background noise that makes it impossible to hear beautiful music or the kind words of a friend.
For neurotypicals who would like to open their brains to the incredible abilities that individuals with autism may have—while also protecting themselves from depressive and anxiety symptoms—the science of our thought networks shows a way. When we actively tune out the DMN, we open ourselves up to greater awareness and data from the outside world. Try these three steps to make the change:
We are finally starting to appreciate the astounding capabilities of the autistic mind. With some simple hacks, neurotypical individuals may shift their brains to more closely mirror the patterning of autism brains, opening themselves up to potentially developing greater awareness as well.
Blume, J., Dhanasekara, C. S., Kahathuduwa, C. N., & Mastergeorge, A. M. (2024). Central Executive and Default Mode Networks: An Appraisal of Executive Function and Social Skill Brain-Behavior Correlates in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 54 (5), 1882–1896.
Padmanabhan, A., Lynch, C. J., Schaer, M., & Menon, V. (2017). The Default Mode Network in Autism. Biological Psychiatry. Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging , 2 (6), 476–486.
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Betsy Holmberg, Ph.D., is an award-winning psychologist specializing in negative self-talk and overthinking.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.