Tremor, ataxia and dementia in older men may indicate a carrier of the fragile X syndrome.
Recently it has been reported that late-onset tremor, gait unsteadiness and dementia can be associated with brain atrophy in males of normal intelligence and the pre-mutation carrier state of the fragile X syndrome. We have shown, by means of a telephone survey, that this association is probably causal rather than coincidental. These findings have uncovered another testable cause of late-onset neurological symptoms in males, which also has serious genetic implications for their daughters who are at risk of having sons with full mutations causing mental handicap - the fragile X syndrome.
Rogers
C
C
Hunter Genetics, The Hunter Area Health Service, Waratah, New South Wales, Australia.
Partington
M W
MW
Turner
G M
GM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001259:Ataxia / Q000235:genetics*; D003704:Dementia / Q000235:genetics*; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014202:Tremor / Q000235:genetics*