Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

Reducing the level of a protein called ICAM5 in the brain improved memory and eased anxiety in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, a new study shows. The study, “ICAM5 as a novel target for treating cognitive impairment in Fragile X Syndrome,” was published in the Journal…

Atypical gazing when looking at facial expressions is associated with social cognition and language abilities in women with a premutation in the FMR1 gene, a new study has found. The study, titled “Physiological regulation and social-emotional processing in female carriers of the FMR1 premutation,” was published in the…

According to their parents, children with fragile x syndrome experience the highest quality of life in physical functioning and the lowest in cognitive ability, a study shows. The findings also revealed greater health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in families of females compared with those of males — which may…

Boys with fragile X syndrome who show high levels of social avoidance in infancy are more likely later to have increased severity in autism spectrum disorder symptoms but reduced severity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and anxiety, a study finds. The study, “Infant Social Avoidance Predicts Autism but Not Anxiety in…

Compounds that can restore potassium balance in some brain regions may potentially treat sensory hypersensitivity and other symptoms in patients with fragile X syndrome, a new study suggests. The study, “Modulators of Kv3 potassium channels rescue the auditory function of Fragile X mice,” was led by researchers from…

Zygel (ZYN002 CBD gel) has been granted fast track designation by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of behavioral symptoms in patients with fragile X syndrome, its developer Zynerba Pharmaceuticals announced. A fast track designation is granted to a newly developed…

A newly developed version of the gene editing technology CRISPR — a non-viral delivery system called CRISPR-Gold — can effectively edit an autism-associated gene in a mouse model of fragile X, reducing the exaggerated repetitive behaviors common with the disorder. The study, “Nanoparticle delivery of CRISPR…

Implementing behavioral treatment via telehealth is a feasible and potentially cost-effective strategy for treating behavioral problems in boys with fragile X syndrome, a study shows. This strategy is able to circumvent the problem parents face when living in a rural area and cannot  drive long distances to reach the nearest…

Treatment with a compound found in green tea leaves significantly improved cognitive function in patients with fragile X syndrome, a study shows. This new clinical data came from a study of the epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) compound, a major component of green tea leaves. The study, “A phase 1, randomized…

Medicine that regulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling can help correct defects in processing of sensory information in a fruit fly model of fragile X syndrome, a new study shows. The study, “Stress Odorant Sensory Response Dysfunction in Drosophila Fragile X Syndrome Mutants,” was published in the journal Frontiers in…