Treatment Archives

NPR Feature – A Fragile X Treatment May Be On The Horizon

FRAXA Research Foundation Community • Treatment May 7, 2021December 9, 2021

With a promising new treatment on the horizon, NPR reflects back at the past 10 years, providing a glimpse into both the science and research of Fragile X through the eyes of key researchers, in addition to the lives of this family, their quest for a cure, and what that may look like for their son, Andy.

COVID-19 Vaccines Pose Little Risk to Rare Disease Patients, FDA, CDC Say

The two COVID-19 vaccines that recently received emergency approval from the US and other worldwide regulatory agencies are expected to pose little risk to the rare disease community, including to patients with compromised immune systems or those participating in gene therapy studies.

Considering Available Drugs for Fragile X: My Favorite Combination (So Far)

Michael Tranfaglia, MD Drug Repurposing • Research • Treatment February 19, 2020April 8, 2022Abilify, aripiprazole, autism, dopamine, drug repurposing, glutamate, minocycline, NIH, serotonin

Which of the available drugs are best for fragile X? We tend to think of drugs according to their primary activity in the body, but very few drugs are totally selective and specific. There are differences between drugs in any given class, and these differences may be critical. Most drugs have “off-target” effects which are usually considered side effects, and it is these side effects which can have key advantages, in some cases.

What Treatments Work for FXTAS?

Michael Tranfaglia, MD Community • Treatment March 25, 2014December 9, 2021Alzheimer's, FXTAS, glutamate, NIH

Many older family members in the Fragile X community are affected by FXTAS (Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome). We all hope that knowing the underlying cause of neurodegenerative symptoms in FXTAS will help in the development of specific treatments over the long term. In the short term, we would also hope that having a specific diagnosis would help us to identify particular available treatments which might be more effective than others.