Tiny pulses of blue light dampen the expression of inflammatory genes in microglia, and may cause unplanned effects when using optogenetics.

A new study casts brain cells called astrocytes as minor stars in Rett syndrome, a disorder that almost exclusively affects girls.

The MacArthur Foundation honors neuroscientist Beth Stevens, and researchers pin down factors that influence the placebo effect in autism trials.

Beth Stevens is unmasking new roles for microglia, the mysterious brain cells that seem to shape brain circuits.

Researchers from four labs were unable to reproduce the findings from a high-profile 2012 study in which bone marrow transplants dramatically extended the lives of mice with features of Rett syndrome. Their sobering findings were published yesterday in Nature.

The mutation that causes Rett syndrome may spark uncontrolled inflammation throughout the body and brain, suggests a study published last week. The findings may explain the syndrome’s wide range of symptoms, from seizures to gut problems.

An analysis of genes expressed in the postmortem brains of people with autism has identified three molecular pathways linked to the disorder. The findings, published 10 December in Nature Communications, add to mounting evidence that the myriad causes of autism converge on common biological processes.