AMBRA1 and autism: Importantly, autophagy has already been linked to autism in recent work.30, 31 Moreover, Ambra1 is involved in other developmentally relevant processes in the nervous system and in neuronal function.32, 33 Although homozygosity of the Ambra1 null mutation causes embryonic lethality, heterozygous mice with reduced Ambra1 expression appear completely normal at first view.33 Only upon comprehensive behavioral characterization, a striking autism-like phenotype of Ambra1+/− females emerges.