Unusual Creation of Toxic Protein May Explain ‘Fragile-X’ Brain Disorders

A strange twist on the way proteins are created may explain the mystery of symptoms in the grandparents of children with mental disabilities. Scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School have discovered findings that show promise in the treatment of a condition known as Fragile X-associated Tremor Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS), which is often midiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease in elderly patients. The grandchildren of those with the disease have another disorder known as Fragile X syndrome, caused by problems in the same gene. In a study published in Neuron, the team suggests that an unusually-made toxic protein contributes to the death of nerve cells in FXTAS. For more information, click here to read the full article.