Molecular screening of FRAXA and FRAXE in Indian patients with unexplained mental retardation

Fragile-X mental retardation is the commonest form of inherited mental retardation. We have studied 146 Indian patients (174 X chromosomes) with unexplained mental retardation by molecular methods. All study subjects were unrelated. Three of the 118 males were found to have the FMR1 full mutation. None of the patients tested were positive for the FMR2 full mutation. The Fragile X prevalence was 2.5% among males, which is lower than previously reported in Indian mentally retarded patients. Screening for Fragile X among patients with nonspecific mental retardation is important, even if there is no family history of mental retardation or typical behavioral or physical features associated with the Fragile-X phenotype. Identification of positive cases is also very important for the families, because of the high recurrence risk of the disease. Large multicenter screening programs with uniform criteria would be worthwhile to determine the prevalence of Fragile-X mental retardation in the Indian population.