A number of autism risk factors converge on one cellular pathway: abnormal remodeling of the cell's structural systems through the signaling protein Rho, says SFARI’s associate director for research, Alan Packer.

Glia were once thought to play a secondary role to neurons in the brain. But studies in the past few years have shown that they may be involved in many brain disorders, including autism. On 7 December, SFARI and the Rett Syndrome Research Trust organized a meeting of scientists working on the intersection of glia with autism and Rett syndrome.

A study on a SHANK3 mutation highlights the danger in using research tools to inform decision-making in the doctor’s office. This sort of concern is one of the reasons for SFARI Gene’s new efforts to develop criteria for evaluating the strength of autism gene candidates, and presenting this information to the broader community.