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Changes in explicit memory associated with early dementia in adults with Down's syndrome
S J Krinsky-McHale1, D A Devenny, W P Silverman
1New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York 10314-6399, USA. sjmchale@worldnet.att.net
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR
|March 19, 2002
Summary
Early dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) in adults with Down's syndrome (DS) significantly impairs memory storage and retrieval. The Selective Reminding Test (SRT) shows promise for detecting these changes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Psychology
Background:
- Investigating memory changes in early dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) in adults with intellectual disability (ID) and Down's syndrome (DS).
- Comparing memory decline in DAT with Down's syndrome to normal aging patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine memory changes associated with early-stage DAT in adults with ID and DS.
- To compare these memory changes to those observed in normal aging.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a modified version of the Selective Reminding Test (SRT).
- Employed hierarchical linear modeling analyses to assess performance changes.
- Compared participants meeting DAT criteria with non-demented peers and age-matched controls.
Main Results:
- Participants with early-stage DAT exhibited steep performance declines.
- Non-demented participants showed age-related declines consistent with normal aging.
- Early-stage DAT severely diminished long-term storage and retrieval, often preceding other dementia symptoms by over a year.
Conclusions:
- Memory processes are demonstrably affected in early dementia among adults with DS.
- The SRT is a promising clinical tool for identifying memory impairments in this population.