What Is Fragile X?
3. Intellectual Development
Those with fragile X syndrome may have an intelligence quotient (IQ) that ranges from normal to severe. In male patients with fragile X syndrome, the average IQ is estimated to be about 40 (if there is complete silencing of the FMR1 gene). Females are generally less affected and have an IQ that is borderline or normal but may experience learning difficulties.
The main challenges fragile X syndrome patients face are their visual spatial relationships, short-term memory, working memory, executive function, visual memory, verbal abilities, and mathematics. There is also some evidence that the IQ decreases with time in most cases. This is believed to be due to slowed intellectual development. In cases where the patient has both fragile X syndrome and autism, there is often a lower IQ and greater language deficit.
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