Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

New research supports how the lack of Mecp2 protein impairs the function of healthy nerve cells in a mouse study of Rett syndrome. Specifically, the function of nerve cells was affected when the cells were grown alongside nerve-cell supporting astrocytes lacking the Mecp2 protein, mimicking the genetic defect that…

A lack of MECP2 protein, the chief underlying cause of Rett syndrome, prevented precursor cells from transforming into fully mature nerve cells in the early stages of brain development, a study suggests. Using 3D organoids that mimic the brain, blocking a pathway elevated by MECP2 depletion enhanced the formation…

The International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) has launched the My Rett Ally app as a digital tool to help parents and caregivers of people with Rett syndrome, calling it “a valuable addition to the resource toolkit.” Free to those who care for Rett patients in the U.S., the…

The first patient has been dosed with TSHA-102, an investigational gene therapy by Taysha Gene Therapies, to treat Rett syndrome. The Phase 1/2 trial, dubbed REVEAL (NCT05606614), is still recruiting up to 12 women with Rett syndrome at its single site in Montreal, Canada. Early safety data…

Daybue (trofinetide) is easing the neurobehavioral symptoms of Rett syndrome with acceptable safety in girls ages 2 to 4, according to early data from the open-label DAFFODIL Phase 2/3 trial. These results were consistent with previous clinical trials in Rett patients starting at age 5 that supported…

Mice in Rett syndrome models showed a loss of brain volume before disease symptoms were evident, with brain shrinkage worsening over time, an MRI study showed. Delays in brain growth were observed in these mice, and brain growth stopped and appeared to reverse in older female Rett mice. Because…

A comprehensive 3D gait analysis found patients with Rett syndrome, ages 5-18, had a slow walking speed and shorter step length relative to girls without the rare neurodevelopmental disorder. The Rett patients also had wider step width and greater variability in gait features, as well as ataxia-like movements —…

Nerve cells derived from Rett syndrome patients showed alterations in structure, function, and network connectivity that depend on the severity of MECP2 genetic changes that cause the condition, a study revealed. Nerve cells from a rare atypical Rett patient with mild disease and preserved speech had similar core structural…

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is partnering with PharmaTher to develop and commercialize ketamine for the treatment of Rett Syndrome. “We are pleased to have added the Rett syndrome program to our clinical-stage product pipeline that focuses on novel uses and delivery forms of ketamine in the…

Children with Rett syndrome whose disturbed breathing eased after treatment with mecasermin, a lab-made version of the growth hormone IGF-1, had unique gene activity profiles before and in response to treatment, according to an analysis of Phase 1 trial data. These findings suggest that different molecular subgroups were evident at…