A Small Town In Colombia Is A Haven For Fragile X Syndrome
The tiny town of Ricuarte, nestled within the mists of the Colombian Andes, is largely known for two things. It has tremendous papaya fields that support many of its inhabitants, and it also the largest known cluster of Fragile X Syndrome in the world. In Colombia, the town has long been known as the home of los bobos — after a popular novel and TV series that depicted a family similar to many found in Ricuarte — yet nobody seems to know why.
There have been a number of theories floated over the years, ridiculous and otherwise. Protestant missionaries once warned that God had brought “the foolishness” upon the town due to the residents’ fondness for Catholic religious icons. A popular wives’ tale suggested that the illness was the result of a love potion made by the women of Ricuarte that occasionally goes awry.
