Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS): pathology and mechanisms
- PMID:23793382
- PMCID: PMC3904666
- DOI: 10.1007/s00401-013-1138-1
Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS): pathology and mechanisms
Abstract
Since its discovery in 2001, our understanding of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) has undergone a remarkable transformation. Initially characterized rather narrowly as an adult-onset movement disorder, the definition of FXTAS is broadening; moreover, the disorder is now recognized as only one facet of a much broader clinical pleiotropy among children and adults who carry premutation alleles of the FMR1 gene. Furthermore, the intranuclear inclusions of FXTAS, once thought to be a CNS-specific marker of the disorder, are now known to be widely distributed in multiple non-CNS tissues; this observation fundamentally changes our concept of the disease, and may provide the basis for understanding the diverse medical problems associated with the premutation. Recent work on the pathogenic mechanisms underlying FXTAS indicates that the origins of the late-onset neurodegenerative disorder actually lie in early development, raising the likelihood that all forms of clinical involvement among premutation carriers have a common underlying mechanistic basis. There has also been great progress in our understanding of the triggering event(s) in FXTAS pathogenesis, which is now thought to involve sequestration of one or more nuclear proteins involved with microRNA biogenesis. Moreover, there is mounting evidence that mitochondrial dysregulation contributes to the decreased cell function and loss of viability, evident in mice even during the neonatal period. Taken together, these recent findings offer hope for early interventions for FXTAS, well before the onset of overt disease, and for the treatment of other forms of clinical involvement among premutation carriers.
Conflict of interest statement
Figures






Similar articles
- Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome: influence of the FMR1 gene on motor fiber tracts in males with normal and premutation alleles.Wang JY, Hessl D, Schneider A, Tassone F, Hagerman RJ, Rivera SM.Wang JY, et al.JAMA Neurol. 2013 Aug;70(8):1022-9. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2013.2934.JAMA Neurol. 2013.PMID:23753897Free PMC article.
- Neuropathological, clinical and molecular pathology in female fragile X premutation carriers with and without FXTAS.Tassone F, Greco CM, Hunsaker MR, Seritan AL, Berman RF, Gane LW, Jacquemont S, Basuta K, Jin LW, Hagerman PJ, Hagerman RJ.Tassone F, et al.Genes Brain Behav. 2012 Jul;11(5):577-85. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2012.00779.x. Epub 2012 Apr 6.Genes Brain Behav. 2012.PMID:22463693Free PMC article.
- What has been learned from mouse models of the Fragile X Premutation and Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome?Foote MM, Careaga M, Berman RF.Foote MM, et al.Clin Neuropsychol. 2016 Aug;30(6):960-72. doi: 10.1080/13854046.2016.1158254. Epub 2016 Jun 29.Clin Neuropsychol. 2016.PMID:27355912Free PMC article.Review.
- Volumetric brain changes in females with fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS).Adams JS, Adams PE, Nguyen D, Brunberg JA, Tassone F, Zhang W, Koldewyn K, Rivera SM, Grigsby J, Zhang L, DeCarli C, Hagerman PJ, Hagerman RJ.Adams JS, et al.Neurology. 2007 Aug 28;69(9):851-9. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000269781.10417.7b.Neurology. 2007.PMID:17724287
- The spectrum of tremor among carriers of the FMR1 premutation with or without the fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS).Fay-Karmon T, Hassin-Baer S.Fay-Karmon T, et al.Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2019 Aug;65:32-38. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2019.05.010. Epub 2019 May 7.Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2019.PMID:31126791Review.
Cited by
- Genetic Analysis of Hereditary Ataxias in Peru Identifies SCA10 Families with Incomplete Penetrance.Cornejo-Olivas M, Inca-Martinez M, Castilhos RM, Furtado GV, Mattos EP, Bampi GB, Leistner-Segal S, Marca V, Mazzetti P, Saraiva-Pereira ML, Jardim LB; Rede Neurogenetica.Cornejo-Olivas M, et al.Cerebellum. 2020 Apr;19(2):208-215. doi: 10.1007/s12311-019-01098-2.Cerebellum. 2020.PMID:31900855
- X inactivation plays a major role in the gender bias in somatic expansion in a mouse model of the fragile X-related disorders: implications for the mechanism of repeat expansion.Adihe Lokanga R, Zhao XN, Entezam A, Usdin K.Adihe Lokanga R, et al.Hum Mol Genet. 2014 Sep 15;23(18):4985-94. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddu213. Epub 2014 May 8.Hum Mol Genet. 2014.PMID:24858908Free PMC article.
- Repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation.Cleary JD, Pattamatta A, Ranum LPW.Cleary JD, et al.J Biol Chem. 2018 Oct 19;293(42):16127-16141. doi: 10.1074/jbc.R118.003237. Epub 2018 Sep 13.J Biol Chem. 2018.PMID:30213863Free PMC article.
- Cognitive Dysfunction in Repeat Expansion Diseases: A Review.Zhang S, Shen L, Jiao B.Zhang S, et al.Front Aging Neurosci. 2022 Apr 11;14:841711. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.841711. eCollection 2022.Front Aging Neurosci. 2022.PMID:35478698Free PMC article.Review.
- Transcription-associated R-loop formation across the human FMR1 CGG-repeat region.Loomis EW, Sanz LA, Chédin F, Hagerman PJ.Loomis EW, et al.PLoS Genet. 2014 Apr 17;10(4):e1004294. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004294. eCollection 2014 Apr.PLoS Genet. 2014.PMID:24743386Free PMC article.
References
- Adams JS, Adams PE, Nguyen D, Brunberg JA, Tassone F, Zhang W, Koldewyn K, Rivera SM, Grigsby J, Zhang L, DeCarli C, Hagerman PJ, Hagerman RJ. Volumetric brain changes in females with fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) Neurology. 2007;69 (9):851–859. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000269781.10417.7b. - DOI - PubMed
- Adams PE, Adams JS, Nguyen DV, Hessl D, Brunberg JA, Tassone F, Zhang W, Koldewyn K, Rivera SM, Grigsby J, Zhang L, Decarli C, Hagerman PJ, Hagerman RJ. Psychological symptoms correlate with reduced hippocampal volume in fragile X premutation carriers. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2010;153B (3):775–785. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.b.31046. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
- Apartis E, Blancher A, Meissner WG, Guyant-Marechal L, Maltete D, De Broucker T, Legrand AP, Bouzenada H, Thanh HT, Sallansonnet-Froment M, Wang A, Tison F, Roue-Jagot C, Sedel F, Charles P, Whalen S, Heron D, Thobois S, Poisson A, Lesca G, Ouvrard-Hernandez AM, Fraix V, Palfi S, Habert MO, Gaymard B, Dussaule JC, Pollak P, Vidailhet M, Durr A, Barbot JC, Gourlet V, Brice A, Anheim M. FXTAS: new insights and the need for revised diagnostic criteria. Neurology. 2012;79 (18):1898–1907. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318271f7ff. - DOI - PubMed
- Arocena DG, Iwahashi CK, Won N, Beilina A, Ludwig AL, Tassone F, Schwartz PH, Hagerman PJ. Induction of inclusion formation and disruption of lamin A/C structure by premutation CGG-repeat RNA in human cultured neural cells. Hum Mol Genet. 2005;14 (23):3661–3671. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddi394. - DOI - PubMed
- Ash PE, Bieniek KF, Gendron TF, Caulfield T, Lin WL, Dejesus-Hernandez M, van Blitterswijk MM, Jansen-West K, Paul JW, 3rd, Rademakers R, Boylan KB, Dickson DW, Petrucelli L. Unconventional translation of C9ORF72 GGGGCC expansion generates insoluble polypeptides specific to c9FTD/ALS. Neuron. 2013;77 (4):639–646. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.02.004. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical