Sep. 26, 2008 A link between certain behaviors and the lack of
the protein associated with Rett Syndrome – a devastating autism
spectrum disorder – demonstrates the importance of MeCP2 (the
protein) and reveals never-before recognized functions
associated with aggression and obesity, said researchers at
Baylor College of Medicine in a report in the current issue of
the journal Neuron. "This protein is critical for the proper
function of majority of neurons," said Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi, a BCM
professor of pediatrics, neurology, neuroscience, molecular and
human genetics and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute
investigator who is senior author on the paper. Zoghbi and her
laboratory discovered the Rett gene. Rett Syndrome affects
between 1 in 10,000 females who express a wide variety of
symptoms, most of them neurological. "Observe a girl with Rett
Syndrome and you will see that she has most of the neurological
symptoms you are familiar with," Zoghbi said. "There are
movement problems, balance problems, tremor, seiz