Brain cells from the cerebellums of mice that model tuberous sclerosis show dampened levels of proteins controlled by FMRP, the protein missing in fragile X syndrome.

Conflicts of interest and methodological issues sully a study published 18 July in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, autism researchers say.

Premature birth is tied to an increased chance of having autism, according to the largest study yet looking for a potential connection.

The same genetic factors may underlie both autism and autistic people’s tendency to have sleep problems, such as insomnia.

As treatments for some autism-linked genetic conditions inch closer to the clinic, researchers are talking more urgently about screening all newborns for such conditions.

A large, whole-genome sequencing study of families yields insights into ultra-rare genetic variants that contribute to autism.

The double empathy theory challenges the idea that social difficulties are specific to autism and suggests that problems arise from a mismatch in perspective between autistic and non-autistic people.

When probing the circuits underlying social behavior in animal models of autism, researchers should consider potentially confounding variables, use multiple behavioral assays and report results in a descriptive and unbiased manner.

In this edition of Null and Noteworthy, researchers open the case on acetaminophen and close it on oxytocin.

Researchers can roughly project what autistic children’s lives will look like years down the road. But how good is their crystal ball — and what are its benefits?