Few studies of autism prevalence have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries. Freely available screening and diagnostic tools could help address this disparity.

Discrepancies in global wealth create hurdles for autism diagnosis, treatments and cross-cultural research. How can open-access tools fix the problem?

Screening the genome for small chromosomal abnormalities may identify potential genetic causes of autism or intellectual disability in 16 percent of children tested, according to a study published 24 May in the European Journal of Paediatric Neurology.

To study attention in people with autism during complex social situations, researchers have developed a virtual reality version of public speaking, according to a study published 20 May in Autism Research.

Advanced imaging techniques may reveal more precise pictures of how of the brain’s regions communicate with one another. How much of the neurodevelopmental riddle of autism lies in these tracts?

New techniques to scan the brain can produce exquisitely detailed views of white matter, which contains the long cellular fibers that connect neurons. Many of the advances are emerging from the Human Connectome Project, a five-year push to map the brain’s wiring.

A new microscopy technique, published in the May issue of Nature Methods, can show the activity of more than 80 percent of the brain’s neurons at one time.

Using high-resolution microscopy, researchers can watch as signaling complexes assemble at neuronal junctions in zebrafish embryos, according to a study published 17 April in Cell Reports.

A ten-minute screen combining a parent questionnaire and home video can detect autism with 90 percent specificity, according to unpublished research presented Thursday at the 2013 International Meeting for Autism Research in San Sebastián, Spain.

A light-emitting device implanted in a mouse brain can activate neurons wirelessly, allowing researchers to control and observe the mouse’s behavior, according to a report published 12 April in Science.