Environment

Children born with high blood levels of vitamin D have 25 percent decreased odds of autism compared with those born with low levels.

Female mice can withstand a maternal antibody that triggers brain abnormalities and autism-like behaviors in males. But additional immune challenges spell trouble.

Exposure to infection in utero may speed up the expression of many genes linked to autism — and hasten changes in brain anatomy.

Marmosets exposed to a mock infection in the womb have altered vocal development and diminished social interest; exposed macaques show changes in brain structure and function.

A 3D model of a human embryo reveals the biological processes that unfold in early development.

Being anemic while pregnant may increase a woman’s chance of having a child with intellectual disability, autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

A new study that combines data from more than 20 million births has found that a cesarean section delivery is associated with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The more words autistic children hear as infants — and the more verbal interactions they have with their caregivers — the better their language skills at age 2.

Adults with autism are nearly 50 percent more likely to die in the hospital than their typical peers.

About 81 percent of autism risk comes from inherited genetic factors, according to an analysis of more than 2 million children from five countries.