Patients with fragile X syndrome are also at increased risk of developing mitral valve prolapse, which may be causing his breathlessness.
Mental retardation may be caused by an inherited abnormality of the genes, such as fragile X syndrome.
There are many causes of mental retardation, including identified genetic syndromes such as Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, or fragile X syndrome.
In about 5 percent of cases, retardation is transmitted genetically, usually through abnormalities in chromosomes, such as Down syndrome or fragile X syndrome.
People who carry a premutation do not usually have symptoms of fragile X syndrome, although there have been reports of individuals with a premutation who have subtle intellectual or behavioral symptoms.
