Background: The accuracy of the National Task Group-Early Detection Screen for Dementia (NTG-EDSD) was evaluated in a sample of 185 adults with Down syndrome (DS), emphasizing 'mild cognitive impairment (MCI-DS)'. Method: Knowledgeable informants were interviewed with the NTG-EDSD, and findings were compared to an independent dementia status…

Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) are now living longer with the majority of individuals reaching middle and even "old age." As a consequence of this extended longevity they are vulnerable to the same age-associated health problems as elderly adults in the general population without ID. This includes dementia, a general term…

Parental characteristics were significant predictors of health, functional abilities, and behavior problems in adults with Down syndrome ("n" ?=? 75) over a 22-year time span, controlling for initial levels and earlier changes in these outcomes. Lower levels of behavior problems were predicted by improvements in maternal depressive…

Changes in psychiatric symptoms related to specific stages of dementia were investigated in 224 adults 45 years of age or older with Down syndrome. Findings indicate that psychiatric symptoms are a prevalent feature of dementia in the population with Down syndrome and that clinical presentation is qualitatively similar to that seen in Alzheimer's…

People commonly expect to stay active well into their 80s, and while it may be hard to believe, people over 100 make up the fastest growing segment of the population. Thankfully, these impressive increases in longevity have also benefited people with developmental disabilities (DD), most of whom can now expect to live just as long as their…

Adults with Down syndrome and early stage Alzheimer's disease showed decline in their ability to selectively attend to stimuli in a multitrial cancellation task. They also showed variability in their performance over the test trials, whereas healthy participants showed stability. These changes in performance were observed approximately 2 years…

Mice have become the model of choice for studies of Down syndrome due to the fact that mouse chromosome 16 bears a striking resemblance to human chromosome 21. This has allowed researchers to create various mouse models of Down syndrome, but this is a tricky business on many levels. Great expertise is required to manipulate DNA to create these…

Changes in maladaptive behaviors related to specific stages of dementia were investigated in 251 adults 45 years of age and older with Down syndrome. Findings indicate clear differences in maladaptive behaviors at various stages of dementia. Generally, individuals with no signs or symptoms of dementia displayed fewer and less severe maladaptive…

The authors present a case study of a 70-year-old man with Down syndrome ("Mr. C.") who they followed for 16 years and who does not exhibit declines in cognitive or functional capacities indicative of dementia, despite having well-documented, complete trisomy 21. The authors describe the age-associated changes that occurred over 16 years as well…

Down syndrome is the most prevalent cause of intellectual impairment associated with a genetic anomaly, in this case, trisomy of chromosome 21. It affects both physical and cognitive development and produces a characteristic phenotype, although affected individuals vary considerably with respect to severity of specific impairments. Studies…

This study examined effects of age and IQ on implicit memory in adults with mild or moderate mental retardation with (n=48) and without (n=46) Down syndrome. Although implicit memory showed an age-associated difference and IQ-associated variation in adults with mental retardation, these effects were relatively small, which supported theories…

Rates of dementia in adults with mental retardation without Down syndrome were equivalent to or lower than would be expected compared to general population rates, whereas prevalence rates of other chronic health concerns varied as a function of condition. Given that individual differences in vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease have been…

Changes in patterns of maladaptive behavior related to age-associated adaptive declines were investigated in 529 adults with mental retardation (ages 30 to 84), 202 with Down syndrome. Certain maladaptive behaviors were related to the onset of adaptive declines, (e.g., lack of boundaries). Findings suggest similarities in the course of…

A study found cumulative decline in adaptive behavior and functional skills in 248 adults with Down syndrome increased from less than .04 at age 50, to .67 by 72, whereas decline for 398 adults with mental retardation increased from less than .02 at age 50 to .52 at 88. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)