History
Fragile X Syndrome was discovered and researched by three main people. They included James Purdon Martin, Julia Bell and Herbert Lubs. Martin and Bell worked together and generally discovered the syndrome in 1943. They then made a pedigree for FXS. This helped get their ideas out, into the "Science World" where others could research further. One person who did research further was Herbert Lubs. He then discovered that FXS had to do with a narrowing or unusual break on the X chromosome in 1969.
Martin and Bell discovered this disorder when they were studying a family who had taken one of their infants to a hospital with a case of mental retardation. After further studying, they noticed that the family had eleven males who were affected over two generations with symptoms of mental retardation. The dynamic duo also found that FXS caused specific parts of the brain to develop improperly after interviewing some of the affected children in the family they studied. This led them to believe that the problem was in the pre-frontal cortex, because there were problems in the speech of the interviewees.
Martin and Bell discovered this disorder when they were studying a family who had taken one of their infants to a hospital with a case of mental retardation. After further studying, they noticed that the family had eleven males who were affected over two generations with symptoms of mental retardation. The dynamic duo also found that FXS caused specific parts of the brain to develop improperly after interviewing some of the affected children in the family they studied. This led them to believe that the problem was in the pre-frontal cortex, because there were problems in the speech of the interviewees.