The neuro-developmental disorder — Autism – which manifests itself as early as before the age of three years mercilessly impairs a child from social interaction, communication or restricted and repetitive behavior.
Unfortunately, it is shocking to find that 1 in 150 children in America suffer from autism spectrum disorder, according to the 2007 Centers for Disease Control report. The Autism Society of America estimated a nerve-wrecking 1.5 million Americans and their families who are presently affected by the disease.
The national health crisis is costing the U.S. at least $35 billion annually!
This inherited form of mental retardation is called — Fragile X Syndrome. Providing a breath of relief to both the medical fraternity and the victims of the disease, a recent research has found that many of the ‘Fragile X Syndrome’ symptoms can be reversed just by blocking a key brain chemical! It is an enzyme called PAK.
Though the research used genetic manipulation and not drugs to discovery this groundbreaking effect, the researchers believe that it would surely help develop drugs with similar effects.
Though drug and biotech companies are already up with arms to develop the compounds that can block the neuro-debilitating process, this new finding might in the near future, help restore brain function in human children suffering form the syndrome.
Thanks to Susumu Tonegawa, the senior author of the paper detailing the findings in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Very soon children with some forms of autism may be kept away from the Fragile X Syndromes.
