The Brain

Autistic children may have a harder time catching a ball than non-autistic children do, possibly because they are less able to predict its trajectory.

Cells with excess UBE3A, an autism-linked protein, have atypical firing properties that can be corrected by limiting the protein’s levels, according to new research.

Sleep disruption early in life has long-lasting consequences for mice missing a copy of the autism-linked gene SHANK3.

Female mice missing a copy of the autism-linked gene MECP2 in a specific set of inhibitory neurons have a hard time heeding pups’ calls and herding litters.

Sensory problems in people with fragile X syndrome may stem from hyperactive neurons, a mouse model study suggests.

Infusions of the hormone oxytocin may make mice that model autism more social by normalizing their brain activity patterns.

Children with dup15q syndrome may have telltale patterns of brain activity during sleep and get less non-REM sleep than neurotypical children do.

Mutations in two genes linked to autism and intellectual disability boost the immune response and cause synapse dysfunction.

People and mice with only one working copy of the autism gene SYNGAP1 may have trouble processing sights and sounds.

A new wiring diagram of the mouse brain could help autism researchers better study how brain connections vary in mice with different genetic backgrounds.