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Attentional
control in disorders of known genetic origin ·
Fragile X
syndrome Fragile
X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of genetically inherited mental
retardation (with more common syndromes, like Down’s syndrome, being
sporadic, rather than familial). The condition is associated with the
silencing of a single gene, the Fragile X Mental Retardation gene (FMR-1) on
the long arm of the X chromosome. Its gene product (the Fragile X Mental
Retardation Protein, FMRP) is normally involved in activity-dependent changes
at glutamatergic synapses throughout the neocortex. At the cognitive level,
adults with FXS display an uneven profile of relative strengths and
weaknesses, with attentional control being an area of striking impairment.
However, the extent to which this remains a constant feature throughout
development is relatively unexplored. This research area has and continues to
focus on studying developmental
trajectories of attentional control in fragile X syndrome. Furthermore,
there remain fascinating questions about the links between the neurobiology
of the syndrome, its development, and attentional control difficulties. o
Collaborations
and detailed information on FXS research: §
Prof. Cornish, o
o
For further
information on fragile X syndrome, the following sites contain very useful
information: §
Fragile X Society: Family support
association for the §
National Fragile X Foundation ( §
FRAXA ( |
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