Autism is not just a disease of the brain, mouse study suggests

Autism spectrum disorders is generally thought to be caused by deficits in brain development, but a study in mice now suggests that at least some aspects of the disorder — including how touch is perceived, anxiety, and social abnormalities — are linked to defects in another area of the nervous system, the peripheral nerves found throughout the limbs, digits, and other parts of the body that communicate sensory information to the brain.