Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Special Education Practice Exam

Retts Syndrome primarily affects which group of individuals?

1. Boys

2. Girls

3. Adults

4. Both genders equally

The correct answer is: Girls

Rett Syndrome primarily affects girls, which is why the answer is B. This rare neurological disorder is most often seen in females due to the genetic mutation in the MECP2 gene located on the X chromosome. Since females have two X chromosomes, they can sometimes have a unaffected copy that can partially compensate for the mutated gene, whereas males, who have one X and one Y chromosome, are typically more severely affected and often do not survive to term or infancy. The condition manifests typically after several months of normal development, with symptoms including loss of purposeful hand skills, gait abnormalities, and cognitive impairments that emerge as the individual ages.