Fragile X premutation effects on children's thinking and behavior

Association of the Fragile X Premutation with Cognitive and Behavioral Skills in Children

NIH-funded research Queens College · NIH-11197581

This project looks at whether children who inherit the fragile X premutation have more problems with learning, attention, autism traits, or anxiety.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionQueens College NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Flushing, United States)
Project IDNIH-11197581 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If my child might carry the fragile X premutation, researchers will compare children who have the premutation to those who do not using detailed tests of thinking, language, attention, social behavior, and anxiety. They will recruit children born to mothers who carry the premutation and use standardized cognitive tests, parent questionnaires, and clinical interviews to measure development. The team plans a larger, less biased sample than earlier reports so the results are more reliable. The goal is to find out whether the premutation can affect development early in life and whether children may need earlier monitoring or support.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are children (infants through teens) who are known premutation carriers or who were born to a mother known to carry the FMR1 premutation.

Not a fit: People without the FMR1 premutation or those already diagnosed with full fragile X syndrome may not directly benefit from this specific work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help identify children with the premutation who would benefit from earlier monitoring, supports, or tailored interventions.

How similar studies have performed: Smaller, biased studies have reported links to developmental delay, ADHD, autism traits, and anxiety, but results have been inconsistent and larger rigorous work like this is needed.

Where this research is happening

Flushing, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.