Geneticists react to discoveries and identify next steps for one of autism’s most promising candidate genes.

Activating cells in the cerebellum, a brain region usually associated with movement, eliminates seizures in a mouse strain that normally has hundreds of seizures a day, according to results presented Saturday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

SHANK3, one of the strongest candidate genes for autism, has the potential to be a molecular entry point into understanding the synaptic, developmental and circuit origins of the disorder.
 

Mutations in GABRB3, a brain receptor linked to autism, are prevalent in severe childhood epilepsy, according to a study published 12 September in Nature.

Newborn mice with an autism-linked mutation in neuroligin-3, which stabilizes junctions between neurons, have abnormal brain chemistry, according to a study published 4 June in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

Researchers have found a new way to light up proteins in living cells, revealing the connections between neurons, according to a study published 19 June in Neuron.

Using a little-known brain-imaging technique, a new study shows that children with autism have low levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical that keeps brain signals in check.

The mutation that causes tuberous sclerosis complex, an autism-related disorder, may disable calming signals in the brain, leading to hyperactive neurons, according to a study published 8 May in Neuron.

Two different autism-linked mutations in the same gene implicate the endocannabinoid system, which regulates appetite, mood and memory, in autism, according to a study published 8 May in Neuron.

Researchers can use light to activate certain proteins that receive signals at the junctions between neurons and that are key targets for fragile X syndrome therapies, according to a study published in the April issue of Nature Neuroscience.