What does “Neurodiverse” mean? Understanding neurodiversity The term Neurodiversity refers to the natural differences in how human brains develop and function. Sociologist Judy Singer introduced the concept in the late 1990s. It suggests that cognitive differences should not always be viewed as a problem that needs to be fixed, but as a natural variation in brain function. https://nemaai.com/blog/brain-development-patterns-in-neurodiverse-children