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Genetic Testing
Screening for FXTAS in 95 Spanish Patients Negative for Huntington Disease

To cite this article:
Laia Rodriguez-Revenga, M. Mònica Santos, Aurora Sánchez, Montserrat Pujol, Beatriz Gómez-Anson, Celia Badenas, Dolores Jiménez, Irene Madrigal, Montserrat Milà. Genetic Testing. March 2008, 12(1): 135-138. doi:10.1089/gte.2007.0074.

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Laia Rodriguez-Revenga
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain.
M. Mònica Santos
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Aurora Sánchez
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Montserrat Pujol
Servei de Neurologia, H. Santa Maria de Lleida, Lleida, Spain.
Beatriz Gómez-Anson
Radiology Department, CDI, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Celia Badenas
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Dolores Jiménez
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Irene Madrigal
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain.
Montserrat Milà
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic, and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.

Fragile X syndrome is the most common form of hereditary mental retardation. The molecular basis of this syndrome is mainly a CGG expansion in the 5′ untranslated region of the FMR1 gene. Expansions with more than 200 CGG repeats abolish gene expression causing the classical fragile X phenotype. Premutation carriers (55–200 CGG) have normal cognitive function with increased risk of developing premature ovarian failure and fragile X-associated tremor–ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). Some clinical features associated with FXTAS, such as tremor, gait ataxia, cognitive decline, and generalized brain atrophy, are also seen in other movement disorders. Ninety-five patients referred for HD, who tested negative for the expansion in the IT15 gene, were screened for FMR1 CGG-repeat expansion. One FMR1 premutation male carrier was detected, giving an FXTAS frequency of 1.6%. Our results highlight that FXTAS is still not well diagnosed; therefore, we recommend FMR1 premutation screenings in all patients with late-onset tremor, ataxia, and cognitive dysfunction.

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