What if what happened to a person in life changed their brain?

Its not really a what if. Its true.

Childhood abuse is associated with brain differences. So is mental illness and driving a London cab.

Okay let's start at the beginning instead of at a question...mental illness is defined by a biological brain difference and a prognosis, I.e. a negative set of outcomes.

What if the brain differences didn't cause most of the pathologised behaviours which define the diagnosis and what if it was the impact of the behaviours as well as neuropsychological influences which account for a large part of the brain differences?

The brain science usually comes later for behavioural and emotional disorders. The primary thing is the abherrance from this socially constructed temporary standard of normal. It doesn't start with brain investigation and there is no scientific concept of a normal brain nor normal brain action.

There are many studies which show differences in brain volume. Almost invariably reduced brain volumes are the route to pathologisation of type though more advanced techniques are looking at small structural differences across the brain to pathologise different human types, types in the past which have included single mothers, homosexuals and slaves who kept on running away.

Of course they don't bother to study depathologised types with these new techniques. It would make interesting science. One bit of science is certainly interesting. People who have a different gender identity to their biological identity have brain differences, specifically in the size of their corpus callosum, however they are not treated in the same way. Their choice is exercised to change their body if deemed fit. A half century ago they would have received healthcare to change they way they thought and behaved rather than have their wishes regarded and made possible by doctors.

And what of London taxi drivers? Mentally ill? A study shows that after 15 years of cab driving many have differences in their hippocampal volumes. They must be crazy....or their life experience changes them.

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