An online resource reveals all major cell types in the developing human brain during the period in which autism is thought to arise.

A set of neurons involved in complex cognitive functions may play a central role in autism.

Exposure to inflammation in the womb may affect the brain and behavior of males and females differently.

The largest genetic analysis of postmortem brain tissue to date has yielded maps of when and where genes related to autism are turned on and off throughout life.

A protective molecular tag on neurons can prevent microglia, the brain’s immune cells, from trimming away their connections with other neurons.

Chronic exposure to inflammation in the womb alters autism gene expression and disrupts social behavior in male mice, but not females.

An unprecedented look at gene expression in tens of thousands of brain cells from autistic people suggests important roles in the condition for a neuronal subtype and for microglia.

A pregnant mouse’s response to infection alters the immune cells in her pups’ brains, and this may contribute to their autism-like behaviors.

The brain’s immune cells, called microglia, function differently in male and female rodents. In people, a similar phenomenon may make male brains more vulnerable to autism.

How many cell types does the brain contain? Two new mouse studies bring scientists closer to the answer.