Ana Pena, PhD,  —

Caregivers of younger children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), and those with lower family incomes, report more difficulties in accessing specialized healthcare in the U.S., a recent study found. Moreover, nearly 40% of the caregivers surveyed think their child’s doctor is…

A combination of two chemical modulators of gene activity can stably reactivate the FMR1 gene, the gene that is “switched off” in those with fragile X syndrome, according to a study in human cells and mouse models of the disease. These results add to prior evidence that supports FMR1 reactivation…

Early Check, a free newborn screening program for fragile X syndrome (FXS) that recently began testing in North Carolina, will address the feasibility of implementing an expanded newborn screening for fragile X to other states. The program and the current practice for the early identification of…

Lovastatin, a medication widely prescribed for lowering cholesterol, was recently discovered to correct brain deficits linked with fragile X syndrome in mouse models of the disease. The finding prompted clinical trials to test if this statin might help people with the…

New interactions involving the FMRP and p53 proteins were found to play an important part in neural defects associated with fragile X syndrome, a new mouse study shows. The study, “Dysregulation and restoration of homeostatic network…

Chemical modification of a DNA-binding protein may provide a new therapeutic target to treat fragile X syndrome (FXS), a mouse study suggests. The study, “Reducing histone acetylation rescues cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome,” was published in …

A University of Virginia scientist has won the Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award for her work on neurodevelopmental disorders that occur during childhood. The research of Sanchita Bhatnagar, PhD, will be funded with $100,000 per year for three years. Bhatnagar is one of 12 recipients…

The University of California at Davis’s MIND Institute is recruiting children and young adults with fragile X syndrome for clinical trials dealing with learning spoken language. A key focus of the studies will be exploring ways to help them with these problems.