Researchers began looking for a connection between children and their grandfathers because the mothers of fragile X patients were worried about their own fathers, who were falling down, becoming forgetful and experiencing other neurological problems.
A significant but unknown number of adults with these symptoms are being misdiagnosed as normal aging, Parkinson's disease, senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease when their condition may be accurately and easily identified with a standard DNA blood test ordered by their doctor.
Nearly 1 in 800 men in the general population carries this premutation in the fragile X gene, and UC Davis research suggests that as many as 30 percent of carriers--roughly 1 in 3,000 men--may develop FXTAS later in life.
Screening for the gene mutation in men who have tremor and balance problems is important regardless of their family history, especially when accompanied by other signs such as parkinsonism (rigidity in movement), short-term memory loss and dementia.
News Briefing:
Tuesday, Jan. 27 at noon, Pacific time
UC Davis Medical Center M.I.N.D. Institute, 2825 50th Street, 2nd floor, Sacramento
See the Mind Institute Web site for map and directions at : http://mindinstitute.org/indexnew.htm.
Interviews with physicians, research team, patient and other family members. Genetic cause of disease
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Contact: Carole Gan
916-762-2089
University of California, Davis - Health System
27-Jan-2004