WWOX and microcephaly: Most recently, important studies showed that homozygous nonsense mutations or other alterations of WWOX gene result in protein loss and cause patients to suffer from severe anomalies, including short stature and growth retardation, microcephaly with seizure, retinal degeneration and early death at 16 months of age.13,23–27 We have determined that WWOX blocks neurodegeneration via binding tau and tau-phosphorylating enzymes, including ERK, JNK and GSK-3β.