Researchers have discovered that POGZ, a gene associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), plays an important role in regulating the body’s internal clock. Mice lacking POGZ showed disrupted circadian rhythms—including longer biological day length and difficulty adjusting to schedule changes—alongside ASD-related social and cognitive deficits. The study found that POGZ helps amplify light-induced signals in the brain’s master clock and is itself regulated by a core circadian molecule. These findings suggest that disrupted circadian function may contribute to both core ASD symptoms and the sleep problems commonly seen in White-Sutton syndrome and related conditions.