News

Rett Syndrome Research Trust Receives $1M Donation

The Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) has received a $1 million donation to help develop a cure for Rett syndrome. The gift, provided by Alba Tull, philanthropist and co-founder of Tull Family Foundation (TFF), will support the RSRT’s CURE 360 initiative, a project that aims to be…

Continuous BDNF Supply by Stem Cells May Have Therapeutic Potential

Stem cells engineered to produce a constant level of a downstream target of the MECP2 protein, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), increased the development of new neurons and prevented body weight loss in a mouse model of Rett syndrome. The study with that finding, “Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Secreting…

Unusually High Number of Mitochondrial DNA Seen in Patients

The copy number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is increased significantly in patients with Rett syndrome, possibly indicating mitochondrial dysfunction, a study reported. Researchers suggest that this increase in the copy number of mtDNA is an attempt to compensate for decreased energy availability. Mitochondria are the producers of energy within…

Communication Interventions May Help Rett Patients Better Interact

A comprehensive communication intervention package improved the expressive communication and/or visual attention of three women with Rett syndrome, a small study shows. These findings suggest that the intervention — which combined aided language modeling (ALM), responsive partner strategies, and a gaze-controlled device — may be beneficial for this patient population.