Disclosed are methods of alleviating or preventing one or more symptoms associated with fragile X syndrome in an individual in need thereof via administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a GABA(A) alpha 2 and/or 3 partial agonist. The one or more symptoms may include impaired functional communication, anxiety, inattention, hyperactivity, sensory reactivity, autonomic nervous system dysregulation, aberrant eye gaze, self-injury, aggression, seizures, EEG abnormalities, including but not limited to, abnormal spectral analysis, event related potentials which may include auditory and visual responses, abnormalities in cortical responses as evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation including resting and active motor thresholds and abnormal responses in measures of cortical inhibition and excitation, aberrant impaired cognitive function, compromised daily living skills, or a combination thereof.