Girls with autism have more brain matter than do either controls or girls with developmental disabilities. This defect is particularly pronounced in the left superior frontal gyrus, a region in the medial prefrontal cortex that is responsible for higher-order cognitive function.

Individuals who have autism and dysmorphology comprise a distinct subgroup within the disorder, says geneticist Judith Miles. 

A $10 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation is funding a five-year project to develop new technologies that can help clinicians diagnose and treat autism.

A new study suggests that the key to social development lies in motor development, and in an infant’s early interactions with non-social objects.

The brains of individuals with autism express lower levels of proteins that direct neuronal growth compared with those of controls.

A special performance on Sunday of The Lion King created a comfortable environment for children with autism and their families to enjoy the theater.

Two new genetic mouse models that debuted this week show that having too many or too few copies of certain genetic regions leads to an array of symptoms reminiscent of autism.

Researchers have engineered four new mouse lines that each show activation of a different subset of neurons in response to a blue light.

Duplications and deletions of genetic regions linked to autism are rare in individuals referred for genetic testing, but occur at a higher rate than in the general population.

President Obama signed a new law on Friday that authorizes $693 million in federal spending for autism research, services and treatment over the next three years.