Marta Figueiredo, PhD, Managing Science Editor —

Researchers have found that increasing the activity of a specific potassium channel called Kv1.2 with an omega-3 fatty acid present in fish oil restores nerve cell function and certain behaviors in mice with fragile X syndrome. These findings highlight Kv1.2 as a potential therapeutic target for fragile X.

The majority of Iranian patients with fragile X syndrome (FXS) may have a delayed diagnosis, a small study suggests. These results highlight the need to increase awareness among health professionals and the general population. The small report, “Complications in Diagnosis of Susceptible Cases of Fragile X Syndrome,”…

A gene editing tool based on gold nanoparticles called CRISPR-Gold was able to reduce the repetitive behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (FXS), a recent study shows. The study, “Nanoparticle delivery of CRISPR into the brain rescues…

The professionals and parents who are part of the Fragile X Clinical and Research Consortium (FXCRC) have updated treatment and intervention recommendations for fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). FXTAS is a late-onset neurodegenerative disease that was first identified in older, mainly male, grandparents and parents of individuals with…

Children with intellectual disability or autism are more likely to be given antipsychotics than those without such difficulty, and often for reasons that have to do more with behavioral control than a “psychotic disorder,” according to a population-based study. Antipsychotic use is associated with higher-than-usual rates of long-term adverse events…