By IANS
New York : Scientists claim to have uncovered the core mechanism of a syndrome that is the most common cause of inherited mental retardation and autism.
A study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers working on ascertaining how brain cells are affected in the Fragile X syndrome says the discovery may help treat the syndrome.
The findings of the study have been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
“I think we’ve discovered a core mechanism underlying Fragile X syndrome,” said Kimberly Huber, senior author of the study.
Her research with mice focuses on how the Fragile X syndrome affects communication between cells in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is involved in learning and memory.
The study has identified two different chemical signals that go awry in the Fragile X syndrome – suggesting that drugs can counter the change.
“The more we know about how signalling mechanisms in the brain lead to normal memory and learning, the better we can understand what goes wrong in conditions such as Fragile X syndrome,” said Huber.
“Our research is laying the groundwork for such understanding and indicates a new area for research.”
Fragile X syndrome got its name because it affects a single gene, Fmr1, on the X chromosome. Under a microscope, the area around the gene looks narrower than normal, or more fragile.