A specially made ‘decoy’ protein prevents an immune molecule from crossing the placenta; the strategy may prevent the brain changes that lead to autism.

Fever in pregnant rats around the time of delivery disrupts their pups’ communication and social behavior.

The brain’s immune cells, called microglia, function differently in male and female rodents. In people, a similar phenomenon may make male brains more vulnerable to autism.

Watch the complete replay of Judy Van de Water discussing the maternal immune system and autism.

Food allergies may be more than twice as common among autistic children as among their typical peers; boys with autism also tend to have skin and respiratory allergies.

More boys than girls have autism; diagnostic biases and genetic factors may explain the skewed sex ratio.

Brain networks in newborns may reflect the degree of inflammation their mothers experienced during pregnancy.

Scientists campaign for elected office in record numbers, folate autoantibodies are common in autism families, and neurons form a genetic mosaic in the brain.

Children of women who are hospitalized during pregnancy may develop poor physical, social, cognitive or emotional skills.

Neurons from people with autism may have an unusual pattern of chemical tags that turn genes on and off.