The molecular soldiers of the immune system may contribute to many cases of autism, according to a diverse array of studies published in the past few months.

HMGN1, a protein that regulates gene expression, leads to social deficits and hyperactivity when expressed at elevated levels in mice, according to a study published 9 December in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. This effect may result from HMGN1 dampening MeCP2 expression, the study suggests.

In the brains of some individuals with autism, chemical changes to histones, proteins entwined with DNA, tend to show up near genes linked to the disorder, according to a study published 7 November in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

The brain abnormalities characteristic of tuberous sclerosis may begin early in development and involve malfunctioning of neuronal precursors, according to studies of two different mouse models of the disorder published in October.

The etiology of autism may be best understood as an impairment of neuronal circuits, specifically interneurons that dampen signals in the brain, says neuroscientist Gordon Fishell.  

Researchers have identified a compound that shows promise as a treatment for Angelman syndrome, a developmental disorder related to autism. The unpublished results were presented Tuesday at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Studying bird species such as the zebra finch can help researchers understand language difficulties in autism, Stephanie White told SFARI.org in a video interview at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Researchers have charted the expression of tiny pieces of RNA in postmortem brain tissue from people with autism, according to unpublished research presented Tuesday at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Looking at flies that express elevated levels of UBE3A, a gene that is duplicated in some people with autism, researchers have identified 81 proteins that may be linked to the disorder, according to unpublished results presented Tuesday at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

A new tool called BrainSpan is providing researchers with exquisitely detailed windows into when genes are expressed and where they are located as the brain develops. An overview of the project was presented Sunday at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.