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Dendrites, dementia and the Down syndrome
Takashima S, Ieshima A, Nakamura H, Becker LE.. Brain & development, 1989-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Findings from a Golgi study of the visual cortex in patients with the Down syndrome were compared with those from neurologically normal, age-matched control subjects. The dendritic atrophy seen in childhood continued into adulthood, with a marked decrease in dendritic branching, dendritic length, and spine frequency in elderly adults with the Down syndrome. Subject more than 30 years old occasionally had degenerating pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex and degenerated pyramidal neurons and aspiny stellate cells, particularly in the temporal cortex. These dendritic abnormalities may be related to mental retardation in children and early dementia in older adults who have the Down syndrome. The genetic and extrinsic factors may be important determinants of Alzheimer type dementia in the Down syndrome.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Takashima, S., Ieshima, A., Nakamura, H., & Becker, L. E. (1989). Dendrites, dementia and the Down syndrome. Brain & development. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0387-7604(89)80082-8
Vancouver
Takashima S, Ieshima A, Nakamura H, Becker LE. Dendrites, dementia and the Down syndrome. Brain & development. 1989. doi:10.1016/s0387-7604(89)80082-8. PMID: 2523670.
BibTeX
@article{takashima1989-2523670,
author = {Takashima, S. and Ieshima, A. and Nakamura, H. and Becker, L. E.},
title = {{Dendrites, dementia and the Down syndrome}},
journal = {Brain \& development},
year = {1989},
doi = {10.1016/s0387-7604(89)80082-8},
pmid = {2523670},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0387-7604(89)80082-8}
}
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Key findings
- Findings from a Golgi study of the visual cortex in patients with the Down syndrome were compared with those from neurologically normal, age-matched control subjects.
Why it matters
This Golgi study found continued dendritic atrophy into adulthood in people with Down syndrome, with decreased dendritic branching, length and spine frequency in elderly adults, and occasional degenerating neurons after age 30. It suggests these abnormalities may relate to early dementia in older adults with Down syndrome but reports no treatment or cure.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
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 (Brain & development) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Brain and Development: journal h-index 120 (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 | 1989 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 129 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.3 citations a year over 39 year(s) since 1989 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Laurence Edward Becker: h-index 60 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Hospital for Sick Children: institution h-index 864 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 2523670) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
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