Measuring intellectual disability

Iwahashi et al suggest that "[this] method should prove to be a powerful tool for further investigation of the relationships between FMRP and the diverse clinical phenotypic domains [of fragile X syndrome]." "Such domains include not only autism and autism spectrum disorders, but also developmental delay, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, ADHD, and mood. Involvement among carriers of smaller (premutation) alleles can also involve developmental delays and/or autism spectrum disorders." In future studies, Dr. Hagerman and colleagues plan to explore "further large scale studies … to recognize the value of the measurement and how FMRP influences the multitude of phenotypes associated with the FMR1 gene and variations seen in the normal population."

Iwahashi C, Tassone F, Hagerman RJ, Yasui D, Parrott G, Nguyen D, Mayeur G, Hagerman PJ: A quantitative ELISA assay for the fragile X mental retardation 1 protein. J Mol Diagn 2009, 281-289

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The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, the official publication of the Association for Molecular Pathology, co-published by the American Society for Investigative Pathology, seeks to publish high quality original papers on scientific advances in the translation and validation of molecular discoveries in medicine into the clinical diagnostic setting, and the description and application of technological advances in the field of molecular diagnostic medicine. The editors welcome for review articles that contain: novel discoveries or clinicopathologic correlations including studies in oncology, infectious diseases, inherited diseases, predisposition to disease, or the description or polymorphisms linked to disease states or normal variations; the application of diagnostic methodologies in clinical trials; or the development of new or improved molecular methods for diagnosis or monitoring of disease or disease predisposition.