News

More than half of the people with rare diseases and their caregivers, asked in a survey, were undecided or less than willing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 if a vaccine was approved under emergency use authorization instead of the routine process, the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Disease reports. These findings…

The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases is accepting applications for a scholarship program that aims to help adults with a rare disease pursue personal goals through training and education. For a second year, the #RAREis Scholarship Fund — supported by Horizon Therapeutics – will award 35 one-time scholarships, each…

Fathers or male caregivers of children with fragile X syndrome are invited to contribute to a U.K. film project exploring what it’s like to raise someone with learning or behavioral challenges. Olivia Hird, a documentary filmmaker for the nonprofit organization Nip in the Bud, is seeking cellphone videos…

Physical health is also affected by fragile X syndrome, with problems evident in the heart, digestive system, respiratory tract and even the teeth years before the cause of patients’ intellectual difficulties might be pinpointed, scientists report. Their study, “Artificial intelligence–assisted phenotype discovery of fragile X syndrome in…

As early as 12 months of age, children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) display signs of social anxiety, a study indicates. The study, “Early behavioral and physiological markers of social anxiety in infants with fragile X syndrome,” was published in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Anxiety disorders…

As anyone affected by a rare disease knows, treating the illness while trying to go about everyday life is an expensive undertaking.  But exactly how expensive — in terms of direct and indirect costs across rare disease populations — might still come as a surprise: almost…

The cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) is essential for protecting against nerve damage-related pain and its emotional effects in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, a study shows. In addition, changes in the levels of pain-related molecules in the spine and in the amygdala (a brain region involved in pain…

Fragile X syndrome, or its associated psychiatric disorders, may lead to catatonia — a condition characterized by abnormal movements and behaviors — and to psychosis, according to a case report. In this rare case, both conditions in a teenage boy were successfully managed with a combination of psychotropic medications. The study,…

Children ages 2 to 7 with fragile X syndrome are being recruited at Boston Children’s Hospital for a study that aims to identify clinical biomarkers for the genetic disorder, according to a press release. Travel stipends of up to $500 dollars are available, thanks to program donors, and…

An analysis of proteins in brain tissue from men with advanced fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) found an overall decrease in the abundance of key proteins compared with samples from those without this disease, a study reported. These findings provide insight into mechanisms of FXTAS, and identified potential biomarkers…