The changes may help explain the link between maternal infection and autism, though more research is needed.

Male rats prenatally exposed to a maternal immune response have atypical responses to other rats in distress, according to a new study.

Having an infection during pregnancy is tied to a small increase in the chances of having an autistic child, but the connection may not be causal.

The function of microglia and astrocytes in the brain may mediate the intersection of sex-differential biology and autism biology.

This month’s newsletter explores the pandemic’s effects on autism rates, trends in co-occurring mental health conditions, and the impact of intranasal oxytocin.

Parents’ health, treatment dosages and sensory perception feature in this month’s crop of null and replicated results.

The long-standing link between maternal infection during pregnancy and having a child with autism may reflect common genetic or environmental factors instead.

Having a genetic predisposition to inflammation is linked to structural changes in brain regions implicated in neurodevelopmental conditions.

The temporary organ may hold clues about the origins of autism and brain development, Anna Penn says — if only researchers would study it.

Given the known link between severe maternal infections and autism, some scientists are investigating whether COVID-19 during pregnancy can affect a child’s neurodevelopment.