Mental Retardation News and Research

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Genetic mutation found to restore translational balance in mice

In a biological quirk that promises to provide researchers with a new approach for studying and potentially treating Fragile X syndrome, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) have shown that knocking out a gene important for messenger RNA (mRNA) translation in neurons restores memory deficits and reduces behavioral symptoms in a mouse model of a prevalent human neurological disease.

21 Oct 2013

Mechanism preserving genome integrity help develop new therapies against DiGeorge syndrome

An international team of scientists-including researchers at GENYO, the Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (Pfizer-University of Granada- Andalusian Regional Government)-has described a molecular mechanism that facilitates the defence of the human genome against "bombarding" by mobile DNA sequences.

10 Oct 2013

Sleep disturbances may influence vascular cognitive decline

Patients with vascular cognitive impairment without dementia have distinct abnormal sleep patterns that may be related to their cognitive deficits, researchers report.

23 Sep 2013

Research offers new perspectives on cortical structure's development

The cerebral cortex is the most complex and vital structure in our brain. It is the nerve centre for those "higher" functions that characterise our species, such as language and abstract thought. The nerve cells - or neurons - which comprise the cortex are key elements in ensuring its functions effectively.

19 Sep 2013

Researchers identify the way FMRP contributes to progression of breast cancer

A research team led by scientists from VIB/KU Leuven, Belgium, and the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy, in collaboration with several research centers and hospitals in Italy, the United Kingdom and, Belgium, has identified the way Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein or FMRP contributes to the progression of breast cancer.

18 Sep 2013

Study confirms low rates of employment for young autistic adults

A study published in the September 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that young adults with an autism spectrum disorder have more difficulty transitioning into employment than their peers with different disabilities.

6 Sep 2013

Researchers identify specific genetic mutations that contribute to disorders of brain development

A collaborative team of researchers including scientists from UCLA has uncovered evidence that a specific genetic alteration appears to contribute to disorders of brain development, including schizophrenia. They also found that schizophrenia shares a common biological pathway with Fragile X mental retardation syndrome, a disorder associated with both intellectual impairment and autism.

7 Aug 2013

Scientists focus on the role of mutated adult neural stem cells play in human diseases

CHARGE syndrome* is a severe developmental disorder affecting multiple organs. It affects 1 in 8500 newborns worldwide. The majority of patients carry a mutation in a gene called CHD7. How this single mutation leads to the broad spectrum of characteristic CHARGE symptoms has been a mystery.

6 Jul 2013

Study: IVF treatment linked with increased risk of mental retardation

In a study that included more than 2.5 million children born in Sweden, compared with spontaneous conception, any in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment was not associated with autistic disorder but was associated with a small but statistically significantly increased risk of mental retardation, according to a study in the July 3 issue of JAMA. The authors note that the prevalence of these disorders was low, and the increase in absolute risk associated with IVF was small.

3 Jul 2013

Gene therapy developed by UAB cures pediatric Sanfilippo Syndrome A in animal models

A single session of a gene therapy developed by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) cures Sanfilippo Syndrome A in animal models. This syndrome is a neurodegenerative disease that affects between 1 and 9 out of every 100,000 children, and causes the death of the child on reaching adolescence.

3 Jul 2013

Discovery sheds new light on causes of debilitating diseases and birth defects

Danish researchers have just published findings that explain a previously unknown mechanism used by cells to communicate with one another. The research significantly contributes to understanding why some children are born with malformations and why children and adults may develop life-threatening diseases.

10 Jun 2013

Scientists discover how Arc protein helps translate learning into memory

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have deciphered how a protein called Arc regulates the activity of neurons-providing much-needed clues into the brain's ability to form long-lasting memories. These findings, reported today in Nature Neuroscience, also offer newfound understanding as to what goes on at the molecular level when this process becomes disrupted.

10 Jun 2013

Study sheds light on origin of wide range of brain disorders

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have uncovered a mechanism that guides the exquisite wiring of neural circuits in a developing brain -- gaining unprecedented insight into the faulty circuits that may lead to brain disorders ranging from autism to mental retardation.

10 Jun 2013

Available drugs may have a dramatic impact on children stricken with Tay-Sachs disease

A team of researchers has made a significant discovery which may have a dramatic impact on children stricken with Tay-Sachs disease, a degenerative and fatal neurological condition that often strikes in the early months of life.

7 Jun 2013

Researchers provide insights into potential therapeutic approaches to Down syndrome

University of Michigan researchers have determined how a gene that is known to be defective in Down syndrome is regulated and how its dysregulation may lead to neurological defects, providing insights into potential therapeutic approaches to an aspect of the syndrome.

6 Jun 2013

UCLA researchers identify abnormal brain networks in Fragile X syndrome

The genetic malady known as Fragile X syndrome is the most common cause of inherited autism and intellectual disability. Brain scientists know the gene defect that causes the syndrome and understand the damage it does in misshaping the brain's synapses - the connections between neurons. But how this abnormal shaping of synapses translates into abnormal behavior is unclear.

5 Jun 2013

Researchers establish link between abnormal structure of synapses and behavioral abnormalities of brain circuits in FXS

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic malady that is the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disability. Brain scientists know the gene defect that causes FXS, and the damage it does-- misshaping the brain's synapses, the connections between neurons. But how that abnormal shaping of synapses translates to abnormal behavior is unclear.

4 Jun 2013

Lead exposure can cause mental retardation in children living near sites

Children living near toxic waste sites in lower and middle income countries such as India, Philippines and Indonesia may experience higher blood lead levels, resulting in a loss of IQ points and a higher incidence of mental retardation, according to a study presented today by Kevin Chatham-Stephens, MD, Pediatric Environmental Health Fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting on May 6 in Washington, DC.

6 May 2013

Researchers describe alterations in long noncoding RNA sequences in Rett syndrome

Researchers at the Epigenetics and Cancer Biology Program at IDIBELL led by Manel Esteller, ICREA researcher and professor of genetics at the University of Barcelona, have described alterations in noncoding long chain RNA sequences in Rett syndrome.

3 May 2013

University of Utah researchers develop novel technique to identify RNA cytosine methyltransferases

Researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah have developed a novel and powerful technique to identify the targets for a group of enzymes called RNA cytosine methyltransferases in human RNA.

23 Apr 2013

Mental Retardation News and Research

Genetic mutation found to restore translational balance in mice

Mechanism preserving genome integrity help develop new therapies against DiGeorge syndrome

Sleep disturbances may influence vascular cognitive decline

Research offers new perspectives on cortical structure's development

Researchers identify the way FMRP contributes to progression of breast cancer

Study confirms low rates of employment for young autistic adults

Researchers identify specific genetic mutations that contribute to disorders of brain development

Scientists focus on the role of mutated adult neural stem cells play in human diseases

Study: IVF treatment linked with increased risk of mental retardation

Gene therapy developed by UAB cures pediatric Sanfilippo Syndrome A in animal models

Discovery sheds new light on causes of debilitating diseases and birth defects

Scientists discover how Arc protein helps translate learning into memory

Study sheds light on origin of wide range of brain disorders

Available drugs may have a dramatic impact on children stricken with Tay-Sachs disease

Researchers provide insights into potential therapeutic approaches to Down syndrome

UCLA researchers identify abnormal brain networks in Fragile X syndrome

Researchers establish link between abnormal structure of synapses and behavioral abnormalities of brain circuits in FXS

Lead exposure can cause mental retardation in children living near sites

Researchers describe alterations in long noncoding RNA sequences in Rett syndrome

University of Utah researchers develop novel technique to identify RNA cytosine methyltransferases

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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