Brief Report: Modest but Clinically Meaningful Effects of Early Behavioral Intervention in Twins with Rett Syndrome—A Case Study

Updated systematic-narrative review on communication intervention in Rett Syndrome: 2010-2022

Due to loss of spoken language and resulting complex communication needs, people with Rett syndrome are obvious candidates for communication intervention. To advance evidence-based practice and guide future research efforts, we identified and summarized 16 communication intervention studies published since a previous 2009 review on this topic. Studies were summarized in terms of (a) participants, (b) dependent variables related to communication, (c) intervention characteristics, (d) outcomes, and (e) certainty of evidence. Across the 16 studies, intervention was provided to a total of 100 participants from 3 to 47 years of age. Half of the studies used systematic instruction to teach aided AAC. Other interventions and associated technologies included music therapy, eye tracking technology, and transcranial stimulation. Positive outcomes (e.g., using AAC devices to make requests and/or initiate social-communication interactions) were reported in 13 of the studies. These 16 new studies provide additional guidance on how to enhance the communicative functioning of people with Rett syndrome. Future research directions are highlighted.

Rehabilitation therapies in Rett syndrome across the lifespan: A scoping review of human and animal studies

PURPOSE

To perform a scoping review of the evidence for therapeutic interventions to manage functional impairments associated with Rett syndrome (RTT) throughout the lifespan.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Scopus and Index to Chiropractic Literature were searched systematically up to December 2019. Two investigators independently reviewed all search results and extracted those that met the inclusion criteria. Human and animal model studies pertaining to therapies that increase functional ability or treat RTT-associated symptoms in all age groups were included. Relevant studies were grouped into intervention categories and rated using the Oxford Centre of Evidence Based Medicine Levels of Evidence. Demographics of participants, interventions, and outcomes were summarized.

RESULTS

Ninety-one articles representing 88 studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 80 were human clinical studies and eight were studies using animal models. Study designs were primarily case series and only six studies involved participants above the age of 40.

CONCLUSION

A small number of rigorously studied rehabilitation interventions have been published. Published studies aim to address a wide variety of functional impairments. Research regarding implementation of therapies for older patients with RTT is lacking and requires further exploration.

Drug Studies on Rett Syndrome: From Bench to Bedside

Drug studies on Rett syndrome (RTT) have drastically increased over the past few decades. This review aims to provide master data on bench-to-bedside drug studies involving RTT. A comprehensive literature review was performed by searching in PUBMED, MEDLINE and Google Scholar, international, national and regional clinical trial registries and pharmaceutical companies using the keywords "Rett syndrome treatment and/or drug or compound or molecule". Seventy drugs were investigated in non-clinical (N = 65 animal/cell line-based studies; N = 5 iPSC-based study) and clinical trials (N = 34) for ameliorating the symptoms of RTT. Though there is good progress in both clinical and non-clinical studies, none of these drugs entered phase III/IV for being launched as a therapeutic agent for RTT.