351: scientists discover possible autism 'switch'

There was some promising news in Scientific American today. It seems that scientists have identified a gene - called Npas4 - that, by releasing a protein, can calm nerve cells down if they become too active. This is important for sufferers of neurological disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, because this discovery may one day lead to treatments that can manage those conditions by balancing brain activity. it's early days for this research, but promising nonetheless. (Photo from Scientific American.)