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Aging and Down syndrome: implications for physical therapy
Barnhart RC, Connolly B.. Physical therapy, 2007-08-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The number of people over the age of 60 years with lifelong developmental delays is predicted to double by 2030. Down syndrome (DS) is the most frequent chromosomal cause of developmental delays. As the life expectancy of people with DS increases, changes in body function and structure secondary to aging have the potential to lead to activity limitations and participation restrictions for this population. The purpose of this update is to: (1) provide an overview of the common body function and structure changes that occur in adults with DS as they age (thyroid dysfunction, cardiovascular disorders, obesity, musculoskeletal disorders, Alzheimer disease, depression) and (2) apply current research on exercise to the prevention of activity limitations and participation restrictions. As individuals with DS age, a shift in emphasis from disability prevention to the prevention of conditions that lead to activity and participation limitations must occur. Exercise programs appear to have potential to positively affect the overall health of adults with DS, thereby increasing the quality of life and years of healthy life for these individuals.
Key findings
- Exercise programs appear to have potential to positively affect the overall health of adults with DS, thereby increasing the quality of life and years of healthy life for these individuals.
Why it matters
This review says exercise programs appear to have potential to improve overall health in adults with Down syndrome. It does not report a cure or prevention for Alzheimer disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Physical therapy) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Physical Therapy: journal h-index 270 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 118 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.6 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Barbara H. Connolly: h-index 16 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Tennessee Health Science Center: institution h-index 654 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17712035) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Barnhart, R. C., & Connolly, B. (2007). Aging and Down syndrome: implications for physical therapy. Physical therapy. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20060334
Vancouver
Barnhart RC, Connolly B. Aging and Down syndrome: implications for physical therapy. Physical therapy. 2007. doi:10.2522/ptj.20060334. PMID: 17712035.
BibTeX
@article{barnhart2007-17712035,
author = {Barnhart, R. C. and Connolly, B.},
title = {{Aging and Down syndrome: implications for physical therapy}},
journal = {Physical therapy},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.2522/ptj.20060334},
pmid = {17712035},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20060334}
}
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