A powerful magnet that alters brain activity has shown that a brain region responsible for language may function differently in adults with Asperger syndrome than in controls, according to a study published in the July issue of the European Journal of Neuroscience.

Women with a mild version of primary ovarian insufficiency, a disorder that mimics the symptoms of menopause, should be tested for a mutation that can lead to fragile X syndrome, according to a study published 15 June in Human Reproduction.

Studying the infant siblings of children who have autism to identify early signs of the disorder is expected to have enormous impact on the field from a clinical and a basic science standpoint, says psychologist Karen Dobkins.

Blood cells from individuals who have autism produce less-than-normal amounts of SHANK3 and NLGN3 proteins, according to a study published 26 May in Molecular Autism.

The rapid brain growth seen in children with autism occurs early in life, before children reach 2 years of age, according to a study published in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

A new mouse model of 15q duplication syndrome, a genetic disorder associated with autism, falls short of recapitulating the symptoms of the syndrome. But it nonetheless points to a cluster of well-known risk genes as the most likely culprits.

Human skin cells can be converted directly into functional neurons, bypassing a reprogramming step that is part of the typical procedure, according to a study published 26 May in Nature.

Sequencing an individual’s entire genome may be the key to tailoring treatments for heterogeneous disorders, suggests a study published 15 June in Science Translational Medicine.

Soluble proteins band together into temporary complexes to travel to the tips of neurons, according to a study published 12 May in Neuron. The study provides the first evidence-based model for slow, directed neuronal transport, answering a long-standing question in the field.

The symptoms of Asperger syndrome look slightly different in girls than in boys, according to a new study. However, gender differences in autism are poorly understood, and the results are preliminary, say other researchers.