Mice missing the autism candidate gene MET have connections in the cortex that are twice as strong as those in controls.The findings, published 13 April in the Journal of Neuroscience, agree with the 'connectivity theory' of autism, which holds that individuals with the disorder have abnormally robust short-range neuronal connections and weak long-range connections.MET has several important roles, including in the immune system, the gut and the brain. In the brain, MET is needed for the proper development of dendrites — thin neuronal branches — and the nubs that receive electrical messages on their ends.Read more at...SFARI, April 2011.