News & Publications

News highlights and publications relevant to RettSearch will continue to be listed here so please keep checking back for the latest news and updates.

RETTSEARCH NEWS:

RettSearch is growing! The Executive Committee has expanded to include Dr. Jeff Neul of the Texas Children’s Hospital and Dr. Laurent Villard of INSERM. We also welcome our newest 9 members to the RettSearch community.
The Clinical Trials Mini-Symposium and 9th Annual Rett Syndrome Research Symposium took place from June 22-25. Presentations from the Clinical Trials Mini-Symposium can be accessed here.
International Rett Syndrome Association (IRSA) and Rett Syndrome Research Foundation (RSRF) merge to form International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF). View official press release.
Management of Scoliosis in Rett Syndrome Project
Feedback from our members has informed a second draft of guidelines. This draft can be viewed at our secure website: http://interrett.ichr.uwa.edu.au/scol/index.php/. Additional comments are welcome and can also be made at that website.
DSM-V/ICD-9-CM Forum Opens
RettSearch's forum on the classification of Rett syndrome in the upcoming DSM-V is now open. The goals of this forum are to develop a community-based position on the classification of Rett syndrome under the DSM-V that will also influence the ICD-9's placement. The conclusions of this forum will be presented to the team writing the DSM-V.
In Memoriam: Dr. Hugo Moser (1924 - 2007)
World renowned adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) researcher was also a pioneer in the field of Rett syndrome. Learn more...

RETT RESEARCH ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS:

Eur J Neuroscience. 2008. Environmental enrichment ameliorates a motor coordination deficit in mouse model of Rett syndrome – Mecp2 gene dosage effects and BDNF expression. Kondo M, Gray LJ, Pelka GJ, Christodoulou J, Tam PPL, Hannan AJ.

Kondo and colleagues report on the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) on motor coordination and BDNF expression in male and female Rett mouse models. Mutant mice with a Mecp2tm1Tam-null allele, heterozygous Mecp2+/- female and hemizygous Mecp2-/y male mice, were examined in terms of motor learning and coordination, locomotor activity, and BDNF expression. EE was shown to have a positive effect on these Rett mouse models, particularly in the heterozygous females, which may imply the response to EE is dependent upon the presence of one normal Mecp2 copy. The authors stress EE should be actively incorporated into the treatment of Rett syndrome. Read the full article... (This article is available to members only)
RettSearch's library is available to all members (only). Here you will find PDF's of scholarly articles related to Rett syndrome organized by topic. We are continuing to update this library.
(This section is available to members only)