Viewpoint

Difficulties hearing and processing sounds are common in autism and may originate in the brainstem — offering the possibility of an inexpensive screen for the condition.

Researchers need funds to investigate why autistic women take their own lives — and how to stop them.

Any study of postmortem brains must control for artifacts, which are pervasive in brain tissue.

Understanding the interactions between the placenta and the uterine lining could explain how maternal immune activation leads to autism.

A count of genetic variants may help predict a person’s risk of various conditions — but its clinical use prompts ethical questions.

For students and early-career investigators, opportunities to meet and talk with the people they are trying to help underscores why the work matters.

Coaching caregivers in early-intervention strategies may be the most effective way to help young autistic children in South Africa.

Many individuals with autism have hearing problems. In fact, Leo Kanner included this trait in his original description of autism. The type and severity of these problems vary: Some autistic people are hypersensitive to sound, such that a doorbell can trigger intense fear or panic; others have difficulty attending to conversations when there is background […]

Place your autism center in the community you serve, remove barriers to care, cast a wide net for autism signs, and do as much as possible in the first visit: These principles can help build a lifelong relationship with the community.

Getting an autism diagnosis can be difficult for many adults, due to the dearth of reliable tests, high costs and bureaucracy.