Cognitive functions in adult Down's syndrome

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Cognitive profiles of performances were obtained from a selected group of adult Down syndrome (DS) subjects (n = 20; mean age: 34.5 years; s.d.: 7.7) by means of an ad hoc neuropsychological battery. With the aim of examining, from a neuropsychological point of view, the modifications that increasing age produces in this group of patients, cognitive performances of younger DS subjects (mean age: 28 years; s.d.: 4.77) were compared with analogous performances obtained by the older ones (mean age: 39.8 years; s.d.: 5.11). Subsequently, to clarify qualitative aspects of cognitive patterns in the subgroups of young and old DS subjects, two different groups of control patients were utilised. Neuropsychological data collected from a group of adult mentally retarded subjects were compared with cognitive performances demonstrated by young DS subjects, while the old group of DS subjects was analyzed in comparison with a group of patients affected by initial form of Alzheimer disease (AD). Altogether, the results of our study do not seem to support, from a neuropsychological point of view, the hypothesis that mental decline observed in DS subjects reproduces the cognitive patterns of impairment observed in AD patients.

@article{caltagirone1990-2148315,
  author  = {Caltagirone, C. and Nocentini, U. and Vicari, S.},
  title   = {{Cognitive functions in adult Down's syndrome}},
  journal = {The International journal of neuroscience},
  year    = {1990},
  doi     = {10.3109/00207459008986638},
  pmid    = {2148315},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.3109/00207459008986638}
}

Key findings

• With the aim of examining, from a neuropsychological point of view, the modifications that increasing age produces in this group of patients, cognitive performances of younger DS subjects (mean age: 28 years; s.d.: 4.77) were compared with analogous performances obtained by the older ones (mean age: 39.8 years; s.d.: 5.11).
• Neuropsychological data collected from a group of adult mentally retarded subjects were compared with cognitive performances demonstrated by young DS subjects, while the old group of DS subjects was analyzed in comparison with a group of patients affected by initial form of Alzheimer disease (AD).
• Altogether, the results of our study do not seem to support, from a neuropsychological point of view, the hypothesis that mental decline observed in DS subjects reproduces the cognitive patterns of impairment observed in AD patients.

Why it matters

This neuropsychological study of 20 adults with Down syndrome found that the mental decline seen with age did not reproduce the cognitive patterns of impairment seen in Alzheimer disease patients. It is a small cognitive study and does not test any treatment or cure.

Study details

• Participants20
• Evidence strengthLow

Read the original

• DOI: 10.3109/00207459008986638
• PubMed: 2148315
• Original source →

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Studies this one cites

Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.

• Alzheimer's disease in Down's syndrome: clinicopathologic studies Neurology · 1985-07-01 · usefulness score 61/100 · Getting a diagnosis
• Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: report of the NINCDS-ADRDA Work Group under the auspices of Department of Health and Human Services Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease Neurology · 1984-07-01 · usefulness score 58/100 · Getting a diagnosis
• Occurrence of neuropathological changes and dementia of Alzheimer's disease in Down's syndrome Annals of Neurology · 1985-03-01 · usefulness score 56/100 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's
• Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles in diseases other than senile and presenile dementia Annals of neurology · 1979-03-01 · usefulness score 42/100 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

Later studies that cite this one

1 study in the alzhub library lists this one in its references.

• Communication breaks-Down: from neurodevelopment defects to cognitive disabilities in Down syndrome Progress in neurobiology · 2010-01-25 · usefulness score 40/100 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

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Also tagged “down”

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• A combination of long- and short-read genomics reveals frequent p-arm breakpoints within chromosome 21 complex genomic rearrangements Genetics in medicine open · 2024-06-28 · usefulness score 38/100 · Down syndrome and Alzheimer's
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• Mortality associated with Down's syndrome in the USA from 1983 to 1997: a population-based study Lancet (London, England) · 2002-03-01 · usefulness score 61/100 · Getting a diagnosis

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More on Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

• A review that covers this ground Therapeutic approaches in the improvement of cognitive performance in Down syndrome: past, present, and future Progress in brain research · 2012-01-01 · usefulness score 39/100
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