An unusual mix of bacteria may be to blame for the frequent gut problems in people with autism. New findings suggest they may also alter the mind.

Scientists can rattle off lists of dozens of genes linked to autism, but there’s much less agreement about which elements of the environment contribute to the condition — and by how much.

Early disruption of the microbes that inhabit the gut can alter a mouse’s sociability long term.

Prairie vole pups exposed to the antidepressant fluoxetine in the womb show autism-like behaviors and lose some receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin.

The combination of prenatal stress and a preterm labor drug may elicit seizures and autism-like behaviors in rat pups.

Infants born prematurely show alterations in the structure and function of their brain circuits — findings that may help explain their increased risk for autism.

The environment’s influence on gene expression can vary by sex and affect autism’s expression.

The pups of male mice exposed to stress show a muted response to stressful situations of their own, suggesting that environmental effects can last generations.

Pregnant mice exposed to the antidepressant fluoxetine have pups with autism-like behavioral impairments.

An immune molecule that helps defend people from infection with viruses or bacteria may also keep brain activity in check, allowing people to be social.