Work in fruit flies has helped Paul decode a neurodevelopmental syndrome in children caused by rare de novo variants in the gene PPFIA3.

Dozens of rare mutations of unknown effects seen in autistic people cause significant changes to fruit flies, suggesting they are linked to the condition.

Over the past century, scientists have used a variety of animal models to advance their understanding of the developing brain and autism.

In the past two decades, some autism researchers have turned to simple animals, such as roundworms, fruit flies and zebrafish, for their investigations. Others have sought answers from experiments with frogs, birds and even octopuses.

Researchers are increasingly turning to simple animals to learn about autism biology and find leads for new drugs.

Fruit flies with low expression of a gene linked to neurodevelopment have disrupted sleep, poor memory and altered social behavior.

A new wiring diagram of the fruit fly brain is the most complex ever created.

Researchers unveiled a reversible new technique for labeling active neurons in freely moving animals.

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

A protein proves crucial to spatial memory in mice, genes in the 16p11.2 chromosomal region interact in fruit flies’ eye development, and having more autism features tracks with decreased responsiveness to direct gaze.