The study of autism around the globe must account for a variety of behavioural norms in different societies.

Researchers are digging into the myriad causes of autism to refine its definition and find elusive biological signatures.

Because infants born into families with autism are more likely to develop the condition, studying them might lead to ways to diagnose people in the general population earlier.

Heavier newborns have larger brains later in life, and a larger cerebral cortex — the brain region responsible for high-level functions such as consciousness and language. The findings, published 19 November in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are the first to assess birth weight’s connection to brain development.

Geographical differences in autism prevalence can largely be accounted for by socioeconomic factors, according to research published 31 October in Environmental Health. The study confirms the importance of controlling for variables such as parents’ educational status when searching for environmental links to autism.

The risk of developing autism increases for every week short of 37 weeks of gestation, according to a large epidemiological study published 1 September in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Two healthcare organizations have pooled their data to create a registry of 20,000 people with autism, a resource that may help speed up clinical trials and other research.

A new study finds that 48 of every 10,000 children in Israel have autism. This rate, published 27 July in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, is higher than previous estimates for Israel, but lower than the reported U.S. prevalence.

New analysis of an in-depth study of autism rates in Utah in the 1980s highlights how changing diagnostic guidelines may be contributing to the rise in prevalence.

Children with autism are being incorrectly diagnosed with developmental delay, and Hispanic children with developmental delay are going undiagnosed, according to a study in California.