News
UC awarded grant to study common mental disorder |
| Spokesperson: | University of Canberra |
| Date: | Wednesday, 23 June 2010 |
| Category: | Research/Trials |
| Sufferers of a relatively common but little-known genetic disorder could have new hope thanks to research funding awarded to the University of Canberra today. Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common identifiable cause of inherited intellectual disability, but its diagnosis is often delayed and in some cases, non-existent, hindering the treatment and support that people with Fragile X require. Today Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, announced the University of Canberra will receive an $80,007 linkage project grant from the Australian Research Council to fund a three year project to uncover the social and economic impacts of FXS. Professor Laurie Brown, from the University of Canberra National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) will lead the project: Modelling the lifetime social and economic impacts of fragile x syndrome and the benefits of early diagnosis and intervention. “This is an opportunity to develop our research in a new area, namely developmental disability, which is poorly understood,” Professor Brown said. “With this research we should be able to learn more of what can be done to minimise the health, social and economic impacts on people with FXS and their families.” Between one in 2,500 and one in 4,000 Australian males will have an intellectual disability associated with Fragile X. While the prevalence of Fragile X in females is the same as that in males, females are less likely to develop a degree of intellectual disability. However, while many females with Fragile X have normal IQs, they are often affected by behavioural, emotional, and/or learning disabilities. As many as one in 125 females may be carriers of the Fragile X gene. “The prevalence of FXS in Australia is not dissimilar to that of cystic fibrosis,” Professor Brown said. “This is a disorder that the community is not aware of and the problem is that many could be carriers of the mutated gene.” For the first time in Australia, this study will reveal the social and economic impacts on the individual, on their family members who are often the lifelong carers, and on the Australian community, and show how these impacts may be minimised through early detection and intervention. |
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