Disclosed herein are methods for treating a neurodevelopmental disorder in a subject in need thereof. The method includes administering to the subject in need thereof an effective amount of a methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) or a nucleic acid encoding the MeCP2 to alleviate or ameliorate the symptoms associated with the neurodevelopmental disorder. According to preferred embodiments, the MeCP2 has one or more post-translational modifications that result in increased levels of sumoylation, phosphorylation or both, as compared with that of the endogenous MeCP2 in the subject.
