The nonprofit RARE-X is creating an easily-accessible, centralized data hub for all rare disease patient data that can help researchers answer questions about existing disorders, discover new ones, and work toward finding treatments. It was spun out of the work that Nicole Boice, founder and chief engagement officer of…
It’s been nearly a year since the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases released its expansive report finding the total economic burden of rare disorders in the U.S. to be nearly $1 trillion.
Early intervention with environmental stimulation appears to have restored motor coordination and behaviors in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. The protocol was more successful in male mice than in females, suggesting that “slightly different therapeutic approaches may need to be taken with males and females undergoing treatment for [Angelman…
International Angelman Day is Feb. 15 and, around the world, about 50 organizations and scores of supporters will come together to bring attention to the neurological disorder and the needs of the half-million individuals thought to be affected. Angelman syndrome (AS) is a complex genetic disease that can…
Since 2008, Rare Disease Day — the last day of February — has brought together patients, caregivers, family members, friends, and advocates from around the world to raise awareness and improve equity for the more than 7,000 known rare diseases that affect more than 300 million people. In 2022, the…
Computer analysis of the faces of Angelman syndrome patients found distinct facial features that changed from childhood to adulthood, a study has found. These differences in facial structure may help identify and diagnose people with the condition, the researchers said. The study, “Investigation of age-related facial…
A ketogenic diet safely and rapidly controlled treatment-resistant prolonged non-convulsive seizure activity in two girls with Angelman syndrome caused by a new mutation in the UBE3A gene, a study shows. These therapeutic benefits were observed before the detection of ketone bodies, the fat-derived molecules produced by the liver to…
A diet enriched with a nutritional formula supplemented with ketones — natural metabolites that arise from the breakdown of fat — may improve fine motor skills, memory, and cognition in children with Angelman syndrome, according to the results from a small trial. Funded by the Foundation for Angelman…
Researchers brought a message of hope for the Angelman syndrome community as they discussed advances in treatment and scientific knowledge at the recent 2021 FAST Global Science Summit and Gala in Austin. Hosted by the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics (FAST), the annual event is an opportunity for members…
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…
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