Rare & Orphan Lab · DeCure for X

DeCure for Intellectual disability, X-linked, syndromic, 35

DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for intellectual disability, X-linked, syndromic, 35 — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.

Disease module1 genesLead labRare & Orphan
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Rare & OrphanDOID:0080241$DeCureRare

The disease map

Disease moduleIntellectual disability, X-linked, syndromic, 35 maps to a 1-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.

Research record

01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash

Current lead

No approved-drug candidate for intellectual disability, x-linked, syndromic, 35 is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.

What the evidence adds up to

Intellectual disability affects approximately one in 50 individuals worldwide. X-linked intellectual disability (XLID) is clinically complex and genetically heterogeneous, with more than 100 genes currently known to be altered in affected males. One of the most frequently mutated XLID genes after FMR1 and MECP2 is the Aristaless related homeobox (ARX) gene, for which more than 110 mutations have been reported. The phenotype always involves intellectual disability and often includes epilepsy, infantile spasms, hand dystonia, lissencephaly, autism, or dysarthria. A 2015 study reported two brothers with non-syndromic XLID carrying a novel NLGN4X splicing mutation (g.1202C>A) identified through X exome sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The mother was heterozygous with a skewed X inactivation pattern (100%) but was not affected. The mutation was absent in a non-affected daughter, suggesting a genotype-phenotype correlation.

For fragile X syndrome, there is substantial evidence that individuals of all ages and intellectual abilities are prone to psychological profiles determined not only by the full mutation but also by premutations and intermediate alleles. Premutation carriers are prone to neurodegenerative mid-life fragile X tremor-ataxia syndrome, and women with premutations experience premature ovarian insufficiency. Imbalances in GABA-glutamate mediated postsynaptic cascade pathways are a current focus of psychopharmacological enquiry, but results of syndrome-specific medication trials were still awaited as of 2011. A 2011 review stated that current medical practices aim to relieve symptoms and not to alter underlying cognitive deficits, though scientific advancements had raised the possibility that intellectual disability might become treatable.

A 2016 chapter summarised known ARX mutations and their clinical manifestations, exploring underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms. A 2022 study on Bardet-Biedl syndrome mouse models noted that there are limited pharmacological interventions for intellectual disability, partially due to poor understanding and the heterogeneous nature of the disorder, and that there are limited mouse models of intellectual disability. No drug treatment data, response rates, or survival figures appear in any of these abstracts.

What is still missing: large-scale, well-funded clinical trials for any syndrome-specific treatment; reliable biomarkers to stratify patients by genetic subtype; and validated animal models that recapitulate the full range of human cognitive and behavioural phenotypes.

Evidence

Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.

Current Opinion in Psychiatry · 2011 · 33 citations

Fragile X syndrome

AbstractPURPOSE OF REVIEW: Advances in developmental neuropsychiatry and the mental health needs of people with intellectual disability are creating ever greater understanding of the critical associations between human genome variations and psychological functioning throughout lifespan and across the entire intellectual ability spectrum. This review highlights the recent developments and their clinical implications for people with fragile X syndrome. RECENT FINDINGS: There is substantial evidence for individuals of all ages and intellectual abilities being prone to psychological profiles determined not only by having a fragile X gene full mutation, but also by having premutations and intermediate alleles. The importance of these genetic contributors to mental life, if anything, increases with age. Premutation carriers are prone to neurodegenerative mid-life fragile X tremor-ataxia syndrome. Women with premutations experience premature ovarian insufficiency. Imbalances in the (gamma amino butyrie acid)-glutamate mediated postsynaptic cascade central neuronal pathways are a current focus of psychopharmacological enquiry, giving the hope of syndrome-specific medical treatments. SUMMARY: Findings from genetic, neurological, biochemical, psychological and pharmacological research are combining to revolutionize understanding of the pathogenesis of developmental and psychological disabilities affecting individuals with fragile X syndrome irrespective of age, intelligence level and gene mutation status. Results of syndrome-specific medication trials are awaited.

https://doi.org/10.1097/yco.0b013e328349bb77
ACS Chemical Neuroscience · 2011 · 19 citations · open access

Fragile X Syndrome: An Update on Developing Treatment Modalities

AbstractIntellectual disability (ID; mental retardation) is considered an immutable condition. Current medical practices are aimed at relieving symptoms and not at altering the underlying cognitive deficits. Scientific advancements from the past decade have led to the exciting possibility that ID may now be treatable. Moreover, pharmaceutical therapies targeting the most common form of inherited ID, Fragile X syndrome (FXS), may become the new benchmark for central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery: seeking cures for neurodevelopmental disorders.

https://doi.org/10.1021/cn200019z
Oxford University Press eBooks · 2016 · 3 citations

Developmental Abnormalities Due to Mutations in the Aristaless-Related Homeobox Gene

AbstractAbstract Intellectual disability is a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders of the brain that combined affect approximately one in 50 individuals worldwide. X-linked intellectual disabilities represent a group of disorders where mutations arise on the X-chromosome. XLID is clinically complex and genetically heterogeneous. In excess of 100 genes are currently known. One of the most frequently mutated XLID genes (after e.g. FMR1 or MECP2) is the Aristaless related homeobox (ARX) gene. More than 110 mutations have been reported in ARX. The phenotype always involves intellectual disability and often also epilepsy, infantile spasms, hand dystonia, lissencephaly, autism or dysarthria. This chapter summarizes currently known mutations in ARX and their clinical manifestations and explores what is known about the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms.

https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780199934522.003.0107
Iowa Research Online (The University of Iowa) · 2022 · 0 citations · open access

Behavioral and brain phenotypes of mouse models of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

AbstractIntellectual disability (ID) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting 1% of the population globally. Clinically, ID is characterized by a deficit in intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning. There are limited pharmacological interventions for ID, partially due to a poor understanding of ID and the heterogeneous nature of ID In addition, there are limited mouse models of ID.

https://doi.org/10.25820/etd.006578
Greater South Information System · 2015 · 0 citations · open access

Non-Syndromic X Linked Intellectual Disability in Two Brothers with A Novel NLGN4X Gene Splicing Mutation (NC_018934.2: g. 1202C>A)

AbstractX-linked Intellectual Disability (XLID) is an extremely heterogeneous disorder for which many of the causative genes are still unknown.So far, more than one hundred genes of the X chromosome have been found to be altered in males manifesting intellectual disability (ID).NLGN4X is an XLID gene, which has been found, involved in autism and Asperger syndrome involving causative coding mutations.Up to now a few pathological mutations in the promoter and the 5' UTR have been identified.Here we report a non-syndromic X linked Intellectual disability in two brothers with a novel NLGN4X splicing mutation predicted to have a pathogenic effect by the activation of an exonic cryptic acceptor site, with presence of one or more cryptic branch point(s).This mutation g.1202C>A (Genbank accession number NC_018934.2) was identified through X exome sequencing.It was confirmed by Sanger sequencing.The mother was heterozygous with a skewed X inactivation pattern (100%).She is not affected.This variant was predicted to change the splicing process leading to potential alteration of the mRNA.This mutation segregates with the pathological phenotype in all the affected males.However, it was absent in the non-affected daughter, we suggest that it could be in favor of genotype-phenotype correlation.This study also confirms the efficiency of X exome sequencing for identifying specific genetic conditions not clinically suspected.

https://doi.org/10.60692/faaz8-gg065

Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.

DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.