Carriers

The Carriers: What the Fragile X Gene Reveals about Family, Heredity, and Scientific Discovery

The Carriers: What the Fragile X Gene Reveals about Family, Heredity, and Scientific Discovery
By Anne Skomorowsky

The term “fragile X” comes from the appearance of the X chromosome under a microscope looks broken at the tip or “fragile.”

The genetic disorder fragile X syndrome (also termed Martin-Bell syndrome or marker X syndrome) is the most commonly inherited form of developmental and intellectual disability.

According to the National Fragile X Foundation, “The agreed upon prevalence of FXS in males is approximately 1 in 7,000 and in females 1 in 11,000.” Fragile X syndrome has been found in all major ethnic groups and races.

Author Anne Skomorowsky introduces the reader to several families who have children with the full fragile X mutation as well as the parents and sometimes, the grandparents who are also affected by associated fragile X syndromes. Because the science of fragile X gene is a rather complex subject (and beyond the scope of this review), anyone who is interested in the subject can access the National Fragile X Foundation’s excellent resources at fragilex.org.

I wasn’t familiar with the history of fragile X and the author does an excellent job of recounting the years of research into the affliction.

Anyone interested in the subject will find this book a fascinating read as well as those readers who are more familiar with medical history or mental disabilities would still find it a worthwhile read.

[Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest and objective opinion which I have given here.]

4/5 stars

Review posted: 26 January 2022

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