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.

The number of autism research studies in the U.K. has doubled in the past decade, but the country still lags behind the U.S. in the amount of funding and the diversity of its projects, according to a report released today at the House of Lords.

Watch the complete replay of Kimberly Huber discussing the role of autism-linked genes in the natural pruning of brain cell connections. Submit your own follow-up questions.

The more researchers poke around, the more likely they are to find a significant effect — and the more likely that the effect they end up reporting is just a fluke. A new kind of journal article, the ‘registered report,’ may address this problem, says Jon Brock.

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.

Cultural factors may explain why attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is diagnosed less frequently in the U.K. than in the U.S., and autism more frequently, suggests a study published 30 May in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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.

Watch the complete replay of Sarkis Mazmanian discussing new findings that support a connection between the gut microbiome and the autism brain. Submit your own follow-up questions.

The lack of substantial evidence to support the use of music therapies for autism limits its implementation in schools and clinics, says Anjana Bhat.