The TSC2 gene, mutations in which cause tuberous sclerosis complex, is needed for budding nerve fibers to find their proper targets in the brain, according to a mouse study published in Nature Neuroscience.

Mice missing a copy of GAP43, a gene involved in the development of axons ― the thin strands that conduct electrical signals between nerve cells ― show biological and behavioral parallels to autism, according to unpublished research presented in a poster session today at the Society for Neuroscience conference.

Schizophrenia may be a consequence of neuronal birth gone awry, according to unpublished research presented today at the Society for Neuroscience conference.