Environment

The tendency of people with autism to not make eye contact is rooted in genetics, suggests a study of identical and fraternal twins.

The odds of getting an autism diagnosis depend on where in the United States a person lives.

Having fevers while pregnant boosts the risk of having a child with autism, according to a study of more than 95,000 women.

Pups born to pregnant mice infected with a mock virus are known to show changes in their immune system. These effects may in turn impair proper brain signaling, according to results presented Saturday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

Children born to women who had low blood levels of vitamin D while pregnant double their risk of autism.

A woman who smokes while pregnant may increase autism risk in her daughter’s children.

A mother’s immune response to a severe infection during pregnancy disrupts the expression of autism genes in her child, a rat study suggests.

Children born to parents who are unusually young or old stand an increased chance of having features of autism or other psychiatric conditions.