2014; Zamponi et al. 2015), this is further supported by the known functions of Cav1.3 for synapse formation and neuronal excitability as well as the fact that very similar mutations in structurally and functionally highly related Cav1.2 channels (CACNA1C gene; see above) can also cause autism (Splawski et al. 2004). This evidence concerns the gene CACNA1C and autism.