MTOR and autism: This hypothesis is supported by decreased Akt and mTOR total protein and phosphorylation in the cortex of autistic patients (Nicolini et al. 2015; Sheikh et al. 2010) and mutations affecting Akt-mTOR signaling (TSC1/2, PTEN and MeCP2) which cause disorders with high rates of autism (Kelleher and Bear 2008).