With a $90,000 grant from FRAXA Research Foundation over 2016-2018, Dr. Carolyn B. Smith and Dr. Rachel Sare at the National Institute of Mental Health investigated the basis of sleep problems in Fragile X syndrome.
$90,000 Grant
Rachel Sare, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Carolyn B. Smith, PhD
Principal Investigator
National Institute of Mental Health
2016-18 FRAXA Research Grant
$90,000
We hypothesize that sleep abnormalities contribute to behavioral abnormalities in Fragile X syndrome, and we propose that treatment strategies should include a focus on normalizing sleep patterns. Our long-term goal is to identify potentially modifiable risk factors contributing to symptoms of FXS. Our objective is to determine the extent to which social behavior abnormalities, hyperactivity, and learning impairments are improved when sleep is improved in a mouse model of FXS. If improving sleep improves behavior, we propose that treatment of sleep may be a novel therapy for FXS that may be used alone or in combination with other proposed therapies.
