Increased aperiodic gamma power in young boys with Fragile X Syndrome is associated with better language ability

BACKGROUND: The lack of robust and reliable clinical biomarkers in Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), the most common inherited form of intellectual disability, has limited the successful translation of bench-to-bedside therapeutics. While numerous drugs have shown promise in reversing synaptic and behavioral phenotypes in mouse models of FXS, none have demonstrated clinical efficacy in humans. Electroencephalographic (EEG) measures have been identified as candidate biomarkers as EEG recordings of both adults with FXS and mouse models of FXS consistently exhibit alterations in resting state and task-related activity. However, the developmental timing of these EEG differences is not known as thus far EEG studies have not focused on young children with FXS. Further, understanding how EEG differences are associated with core symptoms of FXS is crucial to successful use of EEG as a biomarker, and may improve our understanding of the disorder. METHODS: Resting-state EEG was collected from FXS boys with full mutation of Fmr1 (2.5–7 years old, n = 11) and compared with both age-matched (n = 12) and cognitive-matched (n = 12) typically developing boys. Power spectra (including aperiodic and periodic components) were compared using non-parametric cluster-based permutation testing. Associations between 30 and 50 Hz gamma power and cognitive, language, and behavioral measures were evaluated using Pearson correlation and linear regression with age as a covariate. RESULTS: FXS participants showed increased power in the beta/gamma range (~ 25–50 Hz) across multiple brain regions. Both a reduction in the aperiodic (1/f) slope and increase in beta/gamma periodic activity contributed to the significant increase in high-frequency power. Increased gamma power, driven by the aperiodic component, was associated with better language ability in the FXS group. No association was observed between gamma power and parent report measures of behavioral challenges, sensory hypersensitivities, or adaptive behaviors. LIMITATIONS: The study sample size was small, although comparable to other human studies in rare-genetic disorders. Findings are also limited to males in the age range studied. CONCLUSIONS: Resting-state EEG measures from this study in young boys with FXS identified similar increases in gamma power previously reported in adults and mouse models. The observed positive association between resting state aperiodic gamma power and language development supports hypotheses that alterations in some EEG measures may reflect ongoing compensatory mechanisms. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13229-021-00425-x.