Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Most children and adolescents with Angelman syndrome experience problems with sleep and digestive issues such as constipation, a new study highlights. Challenging behaviors such as aggression are generally more common and more severe in these children, which suggests that treating underlying symptoms may help to manage their behaviors. “Findings…

An intervention combining goal-oriented physical therapy with electrical stimulation of the brain via a device placed on the tongue led to marked gains in walking ability and other areas for a child with Angelman syndrome, according to a new report. The study, “Improvement in Gait and Participation…

Most children with Angelman syndrome experience substantially delayed development, a new study from China highlights. Such developmental delays are especially pronounced in Angelman patients who experience seizures — which implies that seizure control may be beneficial for the development of children with the neurological disorder. The findings indicated…

A novel gene therapy that codes for a version of the UBE3A protein that can be secreted by cells outperformed a gene therapy coding unmodified UBE3A protein in a rat model of Angelman syndrome, a new study reports. The study, “Improving Gene Therapy for Angelman Syndrome with…

Lower the levels of a small RNA molecule called miR-134 was shown to protect against seizures for both old and young mice in a model of Angelman syndrome in a study. The study, “AntimiR targeting of microRNA-134 reduces seizures in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome,” was…

Mice with Angelman syndrome (AS) show clear abnormalities in walking patterns, and assessing these patterns may be useful for measuring the efficacy of potential therapies, a new study indicates. “Gait analysis proved a reliable, translational assay that can accomplish within-subject lifespan development, regression, progression and/or decline without confounding test–retest…

The European Commission is expected to propose a new governing framework for health data next month, called the European Health Data Space (EHDS), with the aim of connecting national health systems to facilitate secure and efficient transfer of data across systems in different European nations. The move is expected to…

An international team of experts has published a comprehensive document detailing the current best strategies to care for people with Angelman syndrome. The document, “A multidisciplinary approach and consensus statement to establish standards of care for Angelman syndrome,” was published in Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine. To…

Screenings should be conducted for novel mutations in people with Angelman syndrome-like disease — those with clinical features of Angelman but whose genetic cause remains unknown — say researchers who recently identified 10 new variants. “A high rate of diagnosis is essential since it contributes to more appropriate clinical…

A dietary supplement meant to mimic the effects of a ketogenic diet — known to reduce seizure frequency in patients with Angelman syndrome — was well-tolerated by children with the neurological disorder, according to data from a small clinical trial. The trial met its primary goal of assessing the…