Neurobiologists Cátia Frias and Corette Wierenga have studied the formation of inhibitory synapses, a complex process that occurs when the brain adapts. Their research uncovered an astonishing link to ...

The gene neuropilin2 encodes a receptor involved in cell-cell interactions in the brain and plays a key role in regulating the development of neural circuits. Neuropilin2 controls migration of ...

Neurons signal to each other throughout the body using a connection called a synapse. While they are very small, they are critically important to how messages are sent in the body and brain. One part ...

Scientists have found that a disruption of the Contactin 4 gene on chromosome 3 may be linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What causes ASD, a developmental disorder of the central nervous system ...

While autism is a spectrum of disorders, it’s clear that the more significant cases involve physical differences in the brain’s nerve cells. Several studies have reported an excess in connections ...

As social beings, when thinking about autism we tend to focus on its social challenges, such as difficulty communicating, making friends and showing empathy. I am a geneticist and the mother of a ...

A new study offers insights into how the gene neuropilin2 contributes to the development of behavioral changes associated with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy. The gene neuropilin2 encodes a ...