The findings add to the growing evidence that genes with disparate functions can play similar roles in brain development.

The chimeric mouse model could provide a more realistic way to study microglia’s roles in brain conditions such as autism.

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

Postmortem brain samples from people with one of six conditions, including autism, show distinct signatures of over- and underexpression of immune genes.

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 approach could help test hypotheses about how atypical function of the brain’s immune cells contributes to autism.

The method yields complex organoids that more closely mimic embryonic brain development than do those cultured in other ways.

Findings on microglia and other brain cell types bolster the animal’s validity as a model system for the condition.

Our Twitter feeds were awash with research activity this week, including a review of autism intervention studies and resources to build better data-wrangling skills.

The prize recognizes Geschwind’s contributions to our understanding of autism genetics.