Cause of Fragile X syndrome uncovered

DALLAS , Jan. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said they uncovered the core mechanisms that cause Fragile X syndrome, the most common cause of inherited mental retardation.

Kimberly Huber, a neuroscientist at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said it appears two different chemical signals go awry in Fragile X syndrome, indicating that drugs that interact with these signals might be a pathway to help treat the syndrome, the university said Wednesday in a release.

The findings are published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

"The more we know about how signaling 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," Huber said in a statement. "Our research is laying the groundwork for such understanding and indicates a new area for research."

The report said 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 "fragile."