High levels of a pro-inflammatory molecule called interleukin (IL)-6 in the brain could be key to abnormal neuronal communication in fragile X syndrome, a mouse study reports. The study, “Regulation of IL-6 Secretion by Astrocytes via TLR4 in the Fragile X Mouse Model,” appeared in 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…
Neurotrope announced it will initiate a clinical trial in children with fragile X syndrome. The company, which will conduct the trial in collaboration with the The Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, in Wilmington, Delaware, have not given a date for the study’s start. The trial will assess the safety and…
Poor “social gaze” skills, or an inability to make and hold eye contact during a social interaction, is a common problem for fragile X syndrome patients but can be improved with standard behavioral training, according to the results of a proof-of-concept study. The study, “Improving social gaze behavior in fragile…
The production of several large proteins from stored messenger RNAs (mRNAs) — molecules that contain instructions to make proteins — is defective in fragile X syndrome and most likely other autism spectrum disorders as well, according to a fruit fly study. The study, “Fragile X mental retardation 1…
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 mouse model of fragile X syndrome reinforces the abnormal sleep structure observed in fragile X patients, revealing likely adverse consequences for memory processes, a study has found. The study, “Abnormal Sleep Architecture and Hippocampal Circuit Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome,” was published in the…
Using a gene editing tool, researchers successfully reactivated the FMR1 gene — which is silenced in fragile X syndrome patients — in human stem cells. The study, “Targeted reactivation of FMR1 transcription in fragile X syndrome embryonic stem cells” was published in Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is…
A small molecule called IGS-1.76 that inhibits excessive interactions between nerve cells could potentially be developed as a therapeutic candidate for fragile X syndrome, a study shows. The study, “Deciphering the Inhibition of the Neuronal Calcium Sensor 1 and the Guanine Exchange Factor Ric8a with a Small Phenothiazine Molecule…
A new pharmacological strategy was able to minimize many cognitive and behavioral defects in mice with fragile X syndrome. Researchers now believe this may be a promising therapeutic strategy for this disease and other brain disorders. The findings from the study, “Isoform-selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibition ameliorates a broad range…
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