Neurobiologists Cátia Frias and Corette Wierenga have studied the formation of inhibitory synapses, a complex process that occurs when the brain adapts. Their research uncovered an astonishing link to ...

A new study from MIT neuroscientists reveals that a gene mutation associated with autism plays a critical role in the formation and maturation of synapses -- the connections that allow neurons to ...

Neurons signal to each other throughout the body using a connection called a synapse. While they are very small, they are critically important to how messages are sent in the body and brain. One part ...

For more than two decades, the genetics of autism seemed to splinter in every direction. Each new sequencing study added ...

Scientists have found that a disruption of the Contactin 4 gene on chromosome 3 may be linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What causes ASD, a developmental disorder of the central nervous system ...

While autism is a spectrum of disorders, it’s clear that the more significant cases involve physical differences in the brain’s nerve cells. Several studies have reported an excess in connections ...

A new study offers insights into how the gene neuropilin2 contributes to the development of behavioral changes associated with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy. The gene neuropilin2 encodes a ...

People on the autism spectrum often dislike exposure to unexpected stimuli, but why is that? New research takes a look at what happens in the brain, and how that relates to a person’s ability to ...

As social beings, when thinking about autism we tend to focus on its social challenges, such as difficulty communicating, making friends and showing empathy. I am a geneticist and the mother of a ...

People with autism spectrum disorder may meet similar diagnostic criteria, but the way their symptoms present in daily life can be very different. If you’re concerned about your autistic teen’s ...