Genes

Brain tissues from people with autism of unknown cause and from people with either of two genetic forms of the condition all show similar patterns of methyl groups on DNA.

Mice with extra copies of UBE3A, a gene linked to autism and related conditions, are susceptible to death from seizures.

A blood test can accurately detect whether a fetus carries large mutations of the kind linked to autism, according to pilot-study results.

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

Mutations in the autism gene NLGN3 may alter the gut nervous system of mice.

Families of children with mutations in a gene called SYNGAP1 have spurred research into the effects of the mutations on people — and how to treat them.

A new method enables researchers to test algorithms for spotting genes that contribute to a trait or condition.

The timing of treatment is crucial for conditions related to autism — and more so for some conditions than for others.

Mice that lack a segment of chromosome 22 — a mutation associated with autism — have unusually sparse connections between brain regions.

New versions of the DNA editor CRISPR enable scientists to turn off specific genes in rats, detect mutations in human tissue and delete segments of the genome.