Fatherly Concern
“The Father Factor,” by Paul Raeburn, is an excellent article. I had the pleasure of being introduced to Vanderbilt University psychiatrist Howard Meltzer, whom you quote in the arti­cle, and I share his concern about the lack of knowledge—on the part of both the lay public and medical professionals—about this cause of one third or more of noninherited cases of schizophrenia and autism. I recommend for further reading an article by Columbia Uni­versity urologist Harry Fisch, entitled “Older Men Are Having Children, but the Reality of a Male Biological Clock Makes This Trend Worrisome,” in the January issue of the journal Geriatrics. Couples are waiting longer to start a family, and advances in reproductive technology are allowing older men and women to consider having children. I am concerned about these trends.
“anniepema”
adapted from a comment at www.ScientificAmerican.com/Mind-and-Brain

I am 51 years old and have a child with autism. If I had known that my advanced age increased the risk that I would have an autistic son, would I have done anything differently? Would I have taken the risk of never knowing this boy, my son? I don’t think so. I hope not.
“parvasedapta”
adapted from a comment at www.ScientificAmerican.com/Mind-and-Brain

Neuropoetry
As a long-time subscriber, stu­dent of the sciences and budding neuro­science researcher, I greatly appreciate your magazine. I wrote this “neuro­poem” and thought you’d enjoy it. It is based loosely on Victorian verse, weaving timeless infatuation with modern neuroscience terminology using classic landscape ­imagery.

I Love Your Mind

How I’d love to go walking
Through the orchard of your mind
Fertile neurons branching
Intricately evermore
Arboretum lushly laden with
sweet serotonin

My fingers itch to dig up your
deep-rooted dopamine
My taste buds drown themselves
in craving
Your savory acetylcholine
I long to climb up your axon
And shake ripe neurotransmitters
From the delicate tips of your
dendritic branches

I ache to see your action potential
in action
To be blinded by the searing speed
of your electric signal
As it sparks from node to node
To behold the violent beauty of
vesicles fusing with your presynaptic membrane—
Pouring their contents into your
synaptic cleft
How I wish to be your postsynaptic
cell
So that I may be flooded by your
molecules

Inhibitory, excitatory—it thrills
me to my core
I hyperpolarize every time you’re
near me
Gripped by glycine
Transfixed, mesmerized
Living to be behind your eyes
Depolarize me anytime

Emily Brown
Berkeley, Calif.

Note: This article was originally printed with the title, "Letters."

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