Researchers are studying how a combination of genetic ‘hits’ may contribute to autism’s diversity.

No genetic test can say whether a person has autism, but it may point to a cause for the condition or for any related complications.

Autism may be just as common among children missing a segment of chromosome 16 as it is in those with an extra copy.

A cellular pathway that helps neurons grow and move during fetal development may drive the changes in head size in some autistic people.

Mice with an autism-linked deletion in chromosome 16 show abnormalities in their blood vessels and circulation.

Clusters of brain cells — so-called ‘mini-brains’ grown in the lab — may help researchers understand how large stretches of duplicated or deleted DNA affect the brain.

The absence of several interacting genes may underlie the developmental problems seen in people missing a segment of chromosome 16.

Boosting the levels of the chemical messenger serotonin makes mice that model autism more social — and brings new hope to a shelved theory in autism.

New results implicate an enzyme called ERK in the consequences of missing a segment of chromosome 16.