This paper used the standardized criteria proposed by Aylward et al I995 for diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease in individuals with learning disabilities to undertake a prospective, longitudinal study of 22 individuals with Down's syndrome. Results show that, after a period of up to 6 years, four individuals showed functional decline. A similar pattern of decline was found to that described in previous studies, although the mean age of onset was later. All four subjects met the criteria for probable Alzheimer's Disease.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aylward C.H., Burt D.B., Thorpe L.U., Lai F., Dalton A.J.1995Diagnosis of Dementia in Individuals with Intellectual DisabilityAmerican Association on Mental Retardation, Washington
2.
Barcikowska M., Silverman W., Zigman W. et al 1989Alzheimer-type neuropathology and clinical symptoms of dementia in mentally retarded people without Down Syndrome. American Journal on Mental Retardation83551-557
3.
Brugge K.L., Nichols S.L., Salmon D.P. et al 1994Cognitive impairment in adults with Down's Syndrome Similarities to early cognitive changes in Alzheimer's Disease. Neurology44: 232-238
4.
Burt D.B., Loveland K.A., Lewis K.R.1992Depression and the onset of dementia in adults with mental retardationAmerican Journal of Mental Retardation96502-511
5.
Carter-Young E., Kramer B.M.1991Characteristics of age-related language decline in adults with Down SyndromeMental RetardationV(29): 75-79
6.
Collacott R.A., Cooper S.A., McGrother C.1992Differential rates of psychiatric disorders in adults with Down's Syndrome compared with other mentally handicapped adultsBritish Journal of Psychiatry161:671-674
7.
Collacott R.A., Cooper S.A., Ismail I.A.1994Multi-infarct dementia in Down's SyndromeJournal of Intellectual Disability Research38: 203-208
8.
Crayton L., Oliver C.1993Assessment of cognitive functioning in persons with Down Syndrome who develop Alzheimer's Disease In: Berg J M, Karlinsky H, Holland A J (Eds) Alzheimer's Disease, Down Syndrome and their Relationship. Oxford University Press , Oxford pp 135-154
9.
Cumming J., Benson D.1983Dementia A Clinical Approach. Butterworth , Boston
10.
Dalton A.J., Crapper D.R.1977Down's Syndrome and aging of the brain In Mittler P (ed) Research to Practice in Mental RetardationUniversity Park Press, Baltimore, pp 39-400
11.
Dalton A.J., Seltzer G.B., Adlin M.S., Wisniewski H.M.1993Association between Alzheimer's Disease and Down Syndrome: Clinical observations. In Borg J M, Maulinsky M, Holland A J (Eds) Alzheimer's Disease, Down Syndrome and their RelationshipOxford University Press, Oxford
12.
Das J.P., Mishra R.K.1995Assessment of cognitive decline associated with aging A comparison of individuals with Down Syndrome and other aetiologiesResearch into Developmental Disabilities16(1) 11-25
13.
Davis B.1988Auditory disorders in Down's Syndrome. Scandinavian Audiology Supplement3065-86
14.
Devenny D.A., Silverman W.P., Hill A.L., Jenkins E., Sersen E.A., Wisniewski K.E.1996Normal aging in adults with Down's Syndrome. A longitudinal studyJournal of Intellectual Disability ResearchV (40)3208-221
15.
Evenhuis H.1990The natural history of dementia in Down SyndromeArchives of Neurology47263-267
16.
Goldhaber S.Z., Rubin I.L., Brown W., Robertson N., Stubblefield F., Sloss L.J.1986Valvular heart disease (aortic regurgitation and mitral valve prolapse) among institutionalized adults with Down'sSyndrome American Journal of Cardiology57: 278-281
17.
Gregg D.1994Alzheimer's Disease (Harvard health letter special report) . Harvard Medical School, Cambridge MA
18.
Haveman M., Maasuant M.I., Sturmans F.1989Older Dutch residents of institutions with and without Down Syndrome: Comparisons of mortality and morbidity trends and motor/social functioningAustralia & New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities15: 241-255
19.
Haxby J.1989Neuropsychological evaluation of adults with Down's Syndrome: Patterns of selective impairment in non-demented old adultsJournal of Mental Deficiency Research33193-210
20.
Hof P.R., Bouras C., Perl D.P., Sparks D.L., Menta N., Morrison J.H.1995Age-related distribution of neuropathologic changes in the cerebral cortex of patients with Down's Syndrome quantitative regional analysis and comparison with Alzheimer's DiseaseArchves of Neurology52(4) 379-391
21.
Hyman B.T., West H.L., Rebeck G.W., Lai F., Mann D.M.1995Neuropathological changes in Down's Syndrome hippocampal formation Effect of age and apolipoprotein E. genotype Archives of Neurology52(4) 373-378
22.
Kelsey H., Montague J., Wold D., Maune S., Pattison D.1981Hearing loss of Down's Syndrome adults. American Journal of Mental Deficiency85467-472
23.
Lai F., Williams R.1989A prospective study of Alzheimer's Disease in Down SyndromeArchives of Neurology56849-853
24.
Mann D.1988The pathological association between Down's Syndrome and Alzheimer's DiseaseMechanics of Ageing Development42: 99-136
25.
Miniszek N.1983Development of Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome individualsAmerican Journal of Mental Deficiency87377-385
26.
McKhann G., Drachman D., Folstem M.F.1984Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease Report of the NINCDS-ADRDA Work Group under the auspices of the Department of Health & Human Seivices Task Force on Alzheimer's DiseaseNeurology34939-994
27.
Olson M.I., Shaw C.M.1969Pre-senile dementia and Alzheimer's Disease in MongolismBrain92: 147-156
28.
Osterweil M.D., Syndulko K., Cohen S.N. et al 1992Cognitive function in non-demented older adults with hypothyroidism. Journal of the American Geriatric Society40: 325-335
29.
Prasher V.P., Krishnan V H R1993Age of onset and duration of dementia in people with Down Syndrome. Integration of 98 reported cases in the literatureInternational Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry8.915-922
30.
Prasher V.P., Krishnan V H R, Clawe D.J., Corbett J.A.1994The assessment of dementia in people with Down Syndrome Changes in adaptive behaviour. British Journal of Developmental DisabilitiesXL: 120-130
31.
Prasher V P.1995Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in adults with Downs syndromeEuropean Journal of Psychiatry977-82
32.
Rasmussen D.E., Sobsey D.1994Age, Adaptive Behaviour and Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Analyses. American Journal on Mental Retardation92(2). 151-165
Thase M.E., Liss L., Smeltzer D.J., Maloon J.1982Clinical evaluation of dementia in Down's Syndrome. A preliminary report. Journal of Mental Deficiency Research26239-244
35.
Thase M.E., Tigner R., Smeltzer D.J., Liss L.1984Age-related neuropsychological deficits in Down's Syndrome . Biological Psychiatry19: 571-585
36.
Wisniewski K.E., Wisniewski H.M., Wen G.Y.1985Occurrence of Neuropathological changes and dementia of Alzheimer's Disease in Down's SyndromeAnnals of Neurology17: 278-282
37.
World Health Organization1992ICD-10 International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revisionWHO, Geneva
38.
Zigman et al 1983
39.
Zigman W., Schupf N., Lubm R., Silverman W.1987Premature regression of adults with Down SyndromeAmerican Journal of Mental Deficiency92161-168
40.
Zigman W., Schupf N., Silverman W., Sterling R.1989Changes in adaptive functioning of adults with developmental disabilities. Australia & New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities15: 277-287
41.
Zigman W., Seltzer G., Adlin M., Silverman W.1990Physical, Behavioural and Mental Health associated with Aging In Janickie M, Seltzer (Eds) Disabilities, Aging and Developmental Challenges for the 1990's. Boston, USA
42.
Zigman W., Schupf N., Memdert H., Silverman W.1995Epidemiology of Alzheimer's Disease in Mental Retardation Results and Recommendations from an International ConferenceAmerican Association on Mental Retardation, Washington