People with autism have more brain-related health problems, such as headaches and epilepsy, than typical people do.

The mutation that causes Angelman syndrome makes neurons hyperexcitable, which may explain the frequent seizures that most people with the syndrome have.

Here are seven Spectrum stories from this year that deserve a close look.

No diet is likely to treat autistic people on a large scale, but diets based on a genetic profile may bring big benefits to a few.

A single dose of cannabidiol, a component of marijuana, eases seizures and improves learning and sociability in mice with mutations in an autism gene called CDKL5.

Autism and epileptic seizures often go hand in hand. What explains the overlap, and what does it reveal about autism’s origins?

Deleting an autism gene called TRIO derails neurons’ journey to their destination.

A single seizure early in life leads to enduring behavioral problems, including diminished sociability, in mice.

Certain patterns of electrical activity in the brain may signal autism in children with tuberous sclerosis complex, a related genetic condition.

Experimental surgeries to prevent seizures may help scientists understand the link between autism and epilepsy.