Immune dysfunction is a growing focus in autism research, revealing how the immune system’s missteps can impact the brain and behavior. The immune system is designed to fight infections and protect the body, but in many autism cases, it’s not functioning as it should. What the Research Says: A 2022 study found that autistic brains had 275 genes expressed differently compared to controls, many of which are tied to inflammation. Alarmingly, this immune-related gene expression mirrored patterns see