Related Experiment Videos
Ageing in higher functioning adults with Down's syndrome: an interim report in a longitudinal study
D A Devenny1, A L Hill, O Patxot
1New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island 10314.
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR
|June 1, 1992
Summary
Cognitive function in adults with Down's syndrome (DS) remained stable over five years. This study found no significant decline in mental status or memory, suggesting aging does not severely impact cognition in this population.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Down's syndrome (DS) is associated with intellectual disability.
- Longitudinal cognitive data in aging adults with DS is limited.
- Understanding cognitive aging in DS is crucial for support and care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess global mental status changes in adults with DS over 3-5 years.
- To evaluate specific auditory and visual memory changes in aging adults with DS.
- To compare cognitive trajectories in individuals with and without DS.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 28 adults with DS and 18 controls (aged 27-55).
- Cognitive assessment included orientation, naming, visuomotor coordination, concentration, and memory tests.
- Auditory memory assessed using the Buschke Memory test; visual memory using a computer-controlled shape matching task.
Main Results:
- No significant changes in cognitive test scores were observed between initial and follow-up assessments (3-5 years).
- Aging processes did not appear to significantly impact cognitive functioning in the DS group.
- No evidence of generalized performance decline suggestive of early dementia symptoms in older DS subjects.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive functioning in adults with Down's syndrome is relatively stable during aging.
- The study suggests that aging does not lead to a major cognitive decline in this population.
- Further research can explore factors influencing cognitive health in aging adults with DS.