Linkage analysis was performed in a family with nonspecific X-linked mental retardation (MRX). Affected individuals had no clinical characteristics other than mental retardation. Linkage was detected to the marker loci DXS477, DXS465, DXS52, DXS15 and F8C with maximum lod scores of 1.70, 1.32, 2.52, 1.70, and 1.09, respectively (theta = 0.0). The results strongly indicate that the gene for mental retardation in the family studied maps close to DXS52.