Fragile X syndrome—the most common heritable cause of autism spectrum disorder—is something of a phantom. It interferes with the production of a protein critical to synapse formation during a brief period in early development when the brain is optimizing its ability to process sensory input. Then it dials way down...leaving behind permanent changes in neural circuit structure that can cause low IQ, learning disabilities and hypersensitivity, along with other symptoms characteristic of ASD.
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