January, 2023
Zebrafish Advance as a Model Organism for Fragile X Syndrome
Fragile X Syndrome is the most common inherited form of autism, caused by variants in the FMR1 gene. Scientists have developed animal models of the disorder to better understand the consequences of the genetic mutation—and to see if they can intervene. In a recent study in The Journal of Neuroscience, Geoffrey Goodhill, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience and Developmental Biology at Washington University School of Medicine, and his team describe the utility of zebrafish larvae in recapitulating features of Fragile X. Fish with the genetic variant displayed alterations in the shape of their face, their hunting and social behaviors, and in neural activity.