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Down syndrome and dementia: a randomized, controlled trial of antioxidant supplementation
Lott IT, Doran E, Nguyen VQ, Tournay A, Head E, Gillen DL.. American journal of medical genetics. Part A, 2011-07-07
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Individuals with Down syndrome over age 40 years are at risk for developing dementia of the Alzheimer type and have evidence for chronic oxidative stress. There is a paucity of treatment trials for dementia in Down syndrome in comparison to Alzheimer disease in the general (non-Down syndrome) population. This 2-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessed whether daily oral antioxidant supplementation (900 IU of alpha-tocopherol, 200 mg of ascorbic acid and 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid) was effective, safe and tolerable for 53 individuals with Down syndrome and dementia. The outcome measures comprised a battery of neuropsychological assessments administered at baseline and every 6 months. Compared to the placebo group, those individuals receiving the antioxidant supplement showed neither an improvement in cognitive functioning nor a stabilization of cognitive decline. Mean plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol increased ~2-fold in the treatment group and were consistently higher than the placebo group over the treatment period. Pill counts indicated good compliance with the regimen. No serious adverse events attributed to the treatment were noted. We conclude that antioxidant supplementation is safe, though ineffective as a treatment for dementia in individuals with Down syndrome and Alzheimer type dementia. Our findings are similar to studies of antioxidant supplementation in Alzheimer disease in the general population. The feasibility of carrying out a clinical trial for dementia in Down syndrome is demonstrated.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Lott, I. T., Doran, E., Nguyen, V. Q., Tournay, A., Head, E., & Gillen, D. L. (2011). Down syndrome and dementia: a randomized, controlled trial of antioxidant supplementation. American journal of medical genetics. Part A. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.a.34114
Vancouver
Lott IT, Doran E, Nguyen VQ, Tournay A, Head E, Gillen DL. Down syndrome and dementia: a randomized, controlled trial of antioxidant supplementation. American journal of medical genetics. Part A. 2011. doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.34114. PMID: 21739598.
BibTeX
@article{lott2011-21739598,
author = {Lott, I. T. and Doran, E. and Nguyen, V. Q. and Tournay, A. and Head, E. and Gillen, D. L.},
title = {{Down syndrome and dementia: a randomized, controlled trial of antioxidant supplementation}},
journal = {American journal of medical genetics. Part A},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.34114},
pmid = {21739598},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.a.34114}
}
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Key findings
- Compared to the placebo group, those individuals receiving the antioxidant supplement showed neither an improvement in cognitive functioning nor a stabilization of cognitive decline.
- We conclude that antioxidant supplementation is safe, though ineffective as a treatment for dementia in individuals with Down syndrome and Alzheimer type dementia.
- Our findings are similar to studies of antioxidant supplementation in Alzheimer disease in the general population.
- The feasibility of carrying out a clinical trial for dementia in Down syndrome is demonstrated.
Why it matters
In this 2-year trial of 53 people with Down syndrome and dementia, antioxidant supplementation was safe but showed no improvement in cognitive functioning and no stabilization of cognitive decline compared with placebo. The authors conclude it is ineffective as a treatment for dementia in this group.
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Study details
- Participants53
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 64/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (American journal of medical genetics. Part A) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A: journal h-index 161 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 53 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 136 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.0 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 7 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Daniel L. Gillen: h-index 61 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of California, Irvine: institution h-index 1,195 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21739598) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 64 / 100 | — |
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