Studying anxiety in Rett syndrome mice

Individuals with Rett syndrome, a genetic disorder which mainly affects the brain and nervous system, often have high levels of anxiety and agitation. Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine studied anxiety in mice with Rett syndrome. They found that when these mice were in a stressful situation, high levels of a hormone called corticosterone were produced. The researchers propose that the MECP2 gene mutation present in Rett syndrome fails to adequately control the production of corticosterone. If true, this provides clues to not only how the MECP2 gene works but also how to possibly treat the anxiety in the disorder. The research was published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.