Spectrum: Autism Research News

Parent, partner and professional — the need to fulfill all of these roles at once complicates Vanessa Bal’s life.

Male scientists typically dominate speaker lineups at conferences. The skewed gender ratio stunts women’s careers — and progress in science.

Switching off a specific set of neurons that dampen brain activity causes mice to lose interest in social interaction.

A new tool spots shared patterns of brain connectivity among people who have autism, schizophrenia or major depressive disorder.

Exposure to influenza and a lack of sunlight may drive the increased risk of autism.

Certain conditions, such as large class size, may help children with mild autism gain a foothold in their school’s social network.

Children with low intelligence or behavioral issues — but not autism — may meet the criteria for autism on standard diagnostic tests.

DNA deletions and duplications tied to autism crop up in people without the condition, too.

A set of seven standard tests can accurately assess cognitive capacities in people with various types of intellectual disability.

A pair of existing drugs normalizes the appearance and activity of neurons derived from the skin of individuals with Rett syndrome.