Female mice missing a copy of the autism-linked gene MECP2 in a specific set of inhibitory neurons have a hard time heeding pups’ calls and herding litters.

Sensory problems in people with fragile X syndrome may stem from hyperactive neurons, a mouse model study suggests.

Mice missing an autism gene called SHANK3 tend to be hypersensitive to touch, which may stem from underactivity of neurons that normally dampen sensory responses.

Autism and epileptic seizures often go hand in hand. What explains the overlap, and what does it reveal about autism’s origins?

Deleting an autism gene called TRIO derails neurons’ journey to their destination.

Injecting cells called interneurons into the brains of a mouse model of autism restores typical social behavior. But the reason for this effect is a puzzle.

The signaling imbalance theory holds that the brains of autistic people are hyper-excitable because of either excess neuronal activity or weak brakes on that activity.

Lattice-like structures that surround neurons may be overly abundant — or scarce — in brain regions of three autism mouse models.

Mice lacking one copy of a leading autism gene have hyperexcitable brains and problems with learning and memory.

Injecting a virus toting snippets of RNA into the rodent brain enables researchers to express genes in specific neuron types.