[Source: Healthline]

Various brain functions are thought to contribute to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — yet, despite ongoing studies, scientists have not been able to pinpoint its specific roots.

However, new researchTrusted Source published this month led by Yale University and Mayo Clinic and published in the journal Nature Neuroscience sheds light on a potential mechanism behind ASD’s development.

The scientists found that ASD was linked to two neurodevelopmental abnormalities involving excitatory neurons.

Excitatory neurons have a higher likelihood of “firing” or passing an electrical signal through muscle fibers in the nervous system.

The researchers also found an association between these abnormalities and the incidence of macrocephaly, which is when the head is larger than average in size.

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