Although autism is highly heritable, its heterogeneity has challenged gene-finding efforts. Daniel Geschwind and his colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles, propose to identify the gene networks frequently dysregulated in people with autism, regardless of the underlying mutations.

Autism is a heritable disease, but the contribution of genetic factors is not straightforward. The symptoms and severity of autism spectrum disorders vary greatly between affected individuals, and relatives often show milder, but related, cognitive and behavioral difficulties. Some genetic defects have been linked to autism, but the resulting phenotypes could be influenced by other factors such as environmental variables and the parent from whom the mutations were inherited.