In Brief

Individuals with autism-linked variants of a language gene use regions in the brain’s right hemisphere, rather than the left, to process language, according to a study published 10 October in The American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B.

Duplication or deletion of four genes within a large chromosomal region linked to Angelman syndrome and autism could lead to developmental disability or language delay, according to a study published in the October issue of Human Genetics.

A drug that blocks a type of receptor at the junctions between neurons reverses repetitive behaviors in a mouse model of autism, according to a new study.

Three mutations in SHANK2, an autism-associated gene, each lead to abnormal synapses, the junctions between neurons, according to a study in Human Molecular Genetics.

A subset of neurons in the amygdala, a small brain region responsible for processing emotions, recognize whole faces rather than individual features, according to a study published 11 October in Current Biology.