In addition,proteins of the ProSAP/Shank family act as major organizing scaffolding elements within the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses65, and mutations in the genes of these proteins are associated with autism and Phelan-McDermid syndrome, which is characterized by the occurrence of seizures and autism-like symptoms for summary, see ref66. The gene discussed is SHANK2; the disease is Phelan-McDermid syndrome.