Mental Retardation News and Research

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HMS study suggests new targets for treating Angelman syndrome

Angelman Syndrome is a rare but serious genetic disorder that causes a constellation of developmental problems in affected children, including mental retardation, lack of speech, and in some cases, autism. Over a decade ago, researchers found that AS was caused by mutation in a single gene, but no one had been able to explain how this defect resulted in the debilitating neurological symptoms of the disease.

5 Mar 2010

Study results of new PCR technology that reports mutations associated with FXS announced

Asuragen, Inc. announced today the results of a collaborative study with scientists at the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of California Davis evaluating a new PCR technology that reproducibly reports mutations associated with Fragile X syndrome (FXS).

2 Mar 2010

CAMH signs licensing agreement with US-based Athena Diagnostics to market new genetic test

For the second time in as many months the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has signed a licensing agreement with US-based Athena Diagnostics Inc. to market a new genetic test.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 26 Feb 2010

Special issue reviews current state of science in fetal therapy

Repairing birth defects in the womb. Inserting a tiny laser into the mother's uterus to seal off an abnormal blood flow and save fetal twins. Advancing the science that may allow doctors to deliver cells or DNA to treat sickle cell anemia and other genetic diseases before birth.

17 Feb 2010

Study: Common underlying mechanism causes complex defects in brain development and function

A new study reveals that a common underlying mechanism is shared by a group of previously unrelated disorders which all cause complex defects in brain development and function. Rett syndrome (RTT), Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) and Alpha-Thalassemia mental Retardation, X-linked syndrome (ATR-X) have each been linked with distinct abnormalities in chromatin, the spools of proteins and DNA that make up chromosomes and control how genetic information is read in a cell.

16 Feb 2010

New research finds sensory cortex develops late in fragile X syndrome defect

Why do people with fragile X syndrome, a genetic defect that is the best-known cause of autism and inherited mental retardation, recoil from hugs and physical touch - even from their parents?

12 Feb 2010

Proposed 2010-11 Rendell budget preserves essential health care and safety net services

Governor Edward G. Rendell's proposed 2010-11 budget maintains essential health care and other safety net services during the economic recovery by better managing programs, attacking waste and reducing unnecessary spending.

10 Feb 2010

Autism Speaks: Ten most significant autism research achievements in 2009

Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization has released its annual list of the 10 most significant research achievements to have impacted autism during the previous year. Every year, Autism Speaks documents the progress made toward its mission to discover the causes and treatment for autism spectrum disorders, and compiles a list of the 10 most significant research achievements to have impacted autism during the previous year.

10 Feb 2010

APA releases proposed draft diagnostic criteria for DSM-5

The American Psychiatric Association today released the proposed draft diagnostic criteria for the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The draft criteria represent content changes under consideration for DSM, which is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health and other health professionals, and is used for diagnostic and research purposes.

10 Feb 2010

MCADD screening is expensive but offers immense health benefits

Newborn screening for a metabolic disorder could lead to false positives -- adding stress to parents, costing money and possibly subjecting a baby to unnecessary follow-up treatment and dietary restrictions.

2 Feb 2010

Fertility drugs cause a high percentage of multiple births; contribute to growing crisis of prematurity

The widespread use of so-called fertility drugs, not just high-tech laboratory procedures, likely plays a larger role than previously realized in the growing problem of premature births in the United States, because these drugs cause a high percentage of multiple births, the March of Dimes said today.

18 Jan 2010

Scientists discover new links between inherited blindness and AHI1 gene

An international team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered new links between a common form of inherited blindness affecting children and a gene known as Abelson helper integration site-1 (AHI1).

18 Jan 2010

Researchers determine structures of two enzymes that customize histones

Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have determined the structures of two enzymes that customize histones, the spool-like proteins around which DNA coils inside the cell.

20 Dec 2009

TRAPPC9 as gene may be associated with intellectual disability world-wide, scientists identify

A gene involved in some forms of intellectual disability has been identified by scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), as published this month in The American Journal of Human Genetics. The gene is called TRAPPC9.

16 Dec 2009

Researchers discover new explanation for differences in severity of mental illness in males

Researchers have discovered a new explanation for differences in the severity of mental illness in males. The more excess copies of a certain gene, the more serious the handicap. The genetic defect is situated on the X-chromosome; and it is suspected that it is the amount of copies of the GDI1 gene that is responsible.

11 Dec 2009

UnitedHealth Group invests $5.4M in The Help Group’s tax-exempt revenue bonds

The Help Group received $5,395,000 in capital that will support development of its newest campus serving Los Angeles-area children, adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders.

10 Dec 2009

TECHGENE project: CLC bio selected as software partner

Today the EU project, TECHGENE, that focuses on developing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) diagnostic tools for genetic disorders, announced that CLC bio has been selected as the software partner for this project.

9 Dec 2009

Comprehensive report details the prevalence, implications, costs of caregiving and demographics of caregivers

Caregiving is still mostly a woman's job and many women are putting their career and financial futures on hold as they juggle part-time caregiving and full-time job requirements.

9 Dec 2009

Microarray analysis can identify chromosome abnormalities in children with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome

Researchers at Signature Genomic Laboratories, which performs diagnostic genetic testing of chromosome abnormalities in individuals with unexplained physical and developmental disabilities, recently showed that microarray analysis can identify small DNA alterations in individuals with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, a rare and poorly characterized genetic disorder.

19 Nov 2009

U.S. again scores 'D' for premature birth rate; states take action to reduce risk factors

For the second consecutive year, the United States earned only a "D" on the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card, demonstrating that more than half a million of our nation's newborns didn't get the healthy start they deserved.

17 Nov 2009

Mental Retardation News and Research

HMS study suggests new targets for treating Angelman syndrome

Study results of new PCR technology that reports mutations associated with FXS announced

CAMH signs licensing agreement with US-based Athena Diagnostics to market new genetic test

Special issue reviews current state of science in fetal therapy

Study: Common underlying mechanism causes complex defects in brain development and function

New research finds sensory cortex develops late in fragile X syndrome defect

Proposed 2010-11 Rendell budget preserves essential health care and safety net services

Autism Speaks: Ten most significant autism research achievements in 2009

APA releases proposed draft diagnostic criteria for DSM-5

MCADD screening is expensive but offers immense health benefits

Fertility drugs cause a high percentage of multiple births; contribute to growing crisis of prematurity

Scientists discover new links between inherited blindness and AHI1 gene

Researchers determine structures of two enzymes that customize histones

TRAPPC9 as gene may be associated with intellectual disability world-wide, scientists identify

Researchers discover new explanation for differences in severity of mental illness in males

UnitedHealth Group invests $5.4M in The Help Group’s tax-exempt revenue bonds

TECHGENE project: CLC bio selected as software partner

Comprehensive report details the prevalence, implications, costs of caregiving and demographics of caregivers

Microarray analysis can identify chromosome abnormalities in children with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome

U.S. again scores 'D' for premature birth rate; states take action to reduce risk factors

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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