Researchers eye potential Down syndrome fix via advanced gene editing

April 17, 2026 7:26 PM

Researchers eye potential Down syndrome fix via advanced gene editing

Researchers have developed a modified version of the CRISPR gene-editing tool that in early laboratory experiments suggests it may have the potential to “silence” the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome are born with an extra copy of chromosome 21, giving them 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. “Because of this extra copy, many genes are disrupted and contribute to the cognitive impairment and early-onset Alzheimer's disease” associated with the c...

Fossil of child with Down syndrome hints at Neanderthal compassion

June 27, 2024 12:56 PM

Fossil of child with Down syndrome hints at Neanderthal compassion

Living among a small band of Neanderthals in what is now eastern Spain was a child, perhaps 6 years old, with Down syndrome, as shown in a remarkable fossil preserving traits in the inner ear anatomy indicative of this serious genetic condition. This fossil, unearthed at the Cova Negra archeological site in the province of Valencia near the city of Xàtiva, not only represents the earliest-known evidence of Down syndrome but, according to scientists, hints at compassionate caregiving in these e...