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.

Prenatal exposure of rats to the epilepsy drug valproic acid leads to behavioral and brain features that resemble autism, in males more than in females, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Neurochemistry.

To better understand how local connectivity is altered in autism, we first need to define what it means, says Tal Kenet.

An imbalance in the excitatory and inhibitory signaling between neurons seems to play a critical role in autism. What can we do with that information?

Loss of one copy of 22q11.2 — a chromosomal region linked to schizophrenia and autism — shifts the location of neurons that inhibit brain signals, according to a study published 6 November in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In 2003, John Rubenstein and Michael Merzenich first described the theory, now popular in autism, that the disorder reflects an imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the brain. Takao K. Hensch and Parizad M. Bilimoria review the paper and its impact on the field.

Watch the complete replay of Vikaas Sohal’s webinar on abnormal neural circuits in autism. Submit your own follow-up questions.