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Temporal lobe-oriented CT scanning and dementia in Down's syndrome
B A Lawlor1, M McCarron, G Wilson
1Department of the Psychiatry of the Elderly, Jonathan Swift Clinic, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. psyche1@stpatsmail.com
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
|May 3, 2001
Summary
Diagnosing dementia in individuals with Down's syndrome (DS) is challenging. Medial Temporal Lobe (MTL) atrophy, detected via CT scans, shows promise as a diagnostic aid for dementia in DS.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gerontology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Individuals with Down's syndrome (DS) have a heightened risk of Alzheimer's disease.
- Diagnosing dementia in DS is difficult due to pre-existing intellectual disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between dementia in DS and Medial Temporal Lobe (MTL) atrophy.
- To assess the utility of temporal lobe-oriented CT scanning for diagnosing dementia in DS.
Main Methods:
- CT scans with temporal lobe-oriented views were performed on ten individuals with DS experiencing functional decline.
- Dementia was assessed using modified DSM-IIIR criteria.
- MTL thickness was measured by a blinded radiologist.
Main Results:
- Six individuals meeting dementia criteria exhibited significant MTL atrophy.
- This suggests a correlation between dementia and MTL atrophy in the DS population.
Conclusions:
- Temporal lobe-oriented CT scanning shows potential as an adjunctive diagnostic tool for dementia in Down's syndrome.
- Further research is warranted to validate these findings.
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