Fragile X News

Chemical Signals Go Awry in Fragile X Syndrome
Mouse study shows drugs that target the miscommunication may help

MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) — New information about how brain cells are affected in Fragile X syndrome — the most common cause of inherited mental retardation — has been uncovered.

In the study, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas examined mice to see how Fragile X syndrome affects communication between cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory. The team found that two different chemical signals go awry in Fragile X syndrome. This suggests that drugs that interact with these chemical signals may offer a treatment.

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Seaside Therapeutics Awards $4.5 Million Collaborative Research Contract to Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Funding supports development of novel therapeutics for fragile X syndrome

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Seaside Therapeutics announced today the award of a $4.5 million collaborative research contract to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to discover novel compounds to potentially suppress the manifestations of fragile X syndrome. Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited disorder of brain development and the most common known genetic cause of autism. Individuals with fragile X can suffer from impaired cognitive function, developmental delay, attention deficit and hyperactivity, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and autistic behaviors.

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A Fix for One Type of Autism

Gene Therapy Corrects Fragile X

If anyone is still stumped on a gift for me. Donate to FRAXA!

Researchers have discovered yet another possible way to reverse the effects of Fragile X. Fingers crossed!

Researchers eye key to restoring brain function

but Monkey has been sick and we’ve been really, really busy and really, really tired.  Monkey was diagnosed with croup last Thursday.  He had a prescription for 4 days for that which worked great but he then came down with a killer stomach bug AND a cold.  He had nastiness coming out everywhere.  He’s finally feeling pretty close to normal.  He still has a cold but otherwise he’s doing much better.  Last night he slept through the night without coughing himself awake for the first time in ages.  Poor kid.

We’re pretty much all done with the school evaluations.  It’s been 3 weeks of overscheduling so we’re grateful for that.  Duhdee and I are going to visit two Cambridge Public School classrooms next week and we’re also having our first meeting to plan Monkey’s IEP.  Oh and let’s toss in 2 meetings with our advocate on top of that.  So we’re still overscheduled but at least now it’s just US and not our poor boy (who was getting all bent out of shape with all the strangers trying to play with him.)  It’s all going to be worth it though if we can manage to get all the services Monkey needs to succeed at school.

This weekend we’re going away with some friends and their little boy.  That will be really nice.