Symptoms Of Fragile X May Be Reversible

From Shaun Heasley from disabilityscoop

A new study indicates that medication can reverse many of the defining symptoms of fragile X syndrome in mice, a finding which could have implications for people with other developmental disabilities too.

The development reported Thursday in the journal Neuron is significant, scientists say, because the treatment brought about major changes even in adult mice with fragile X, the most common form of inherited intellectual disability.

For the study, researchers looked at a new drug intended to target a protein in the brain that’s been linked to fragile X. Mice given the medication began exhibiting fewer symptoms of the condition, researchers said. Improvements were seen in learning and memory capabilities as well as behavioral areas, with the mice becoming less sensitive to sound, for example.

Read more HERE.

Most Common Form Of Inherited Intellectual Disability May Be Treatable

From redOrbit

Advancements over the last 10 years in understanding intellectual disability (ID, formerly mental retardation), have led to the once-unimaginable possibility that ID may be treatable, a review of more than 100 studies on the topic has concluded. It appears in ACS Chemical Neuroscience.

Aileen Healy and colleagues explain that people long have viewed intellectual disability as permanent and untreatable, with medical care focusing on relieving some of the symptoms rather than correcting the underlying causes. That includes Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. FXS occurs in an array of forms, ranging from mild learning disabilities to more severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is the most common known cause of autism or autistic-like behaviors.

Scientists are now beginning to get a handle on the changes that happen to cells and molecules in the body because of a mutation in the Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 gene. That gene contains instructions for making a key protein vital for nerve function in the brain, and does not work properly in FXS. With a better understanding of the biological effects of the mutation, the scientists say that treatments for FXS and similar disorders now seem possible. In addition, several drugs tested in humans seem promising. "In conclusion, the recent clinical introduction of multiple compounds representing a variety of mechanistic approaches to the disorder represents an exciting opportunity to realize the mission of implementing effective treatments of ID," say the researchers.

Article HERE.

Hope Builds for Treating Intellectual Disabilities

A common medication is one of several drugs that might correct or even reverse the effects of fragile X, autism and other developmental disorders.

Read By Melissa Healy's, Los Angeles Times article HERE.