Understanding the function of neuronal circuits, specifically microcircuits in the prefrontal cortex and elsewhere in the brain, will play a major role in translating research findings into new autism treatments, says Vikaas Sohal.

The Allen Institute convened a five-day ‘hackathon’ to create new tools that take advantage of the petabytes of brain mapping data in the institute’s massive databases.

A small clinical trial at the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai aims to test whether an existing drug, the growth factor IGF-1, will help treat some of the core symptoms of autism in children with a specific genetic mutation.

A report from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network analyzes the impact that the proposed changes to diagnostic criteria for autism are likely to have on people with the disorder.

To find the pathogenic mutations in complex disorders such as autism, researchers may need to conduct sophisticated analyses of the genetic functions that are disrupted, says geneticist Aravinda Chakravarti.

We can’t get back the tissue lost in the Harvard freezer malfunction, but we can try to create something positive from this tragic event, says Alison Singer.

Normal aging triggers dramatic changes to the epigenome, the set of chemical tags that turn genes on and off, according to a new study.

Seaside Therapeutics, a small biotech, and Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche have announced a partnership to develop drugs for fragile X syndrome and autism.

New tools developed as part of the Human Microbiome Project could help researchers understand the role of microbes in autism.

A Dutch multimedia project attempts to convey how people with autism experience the world.