Prevention of mental retardation: the role of medicine

In the past 100 years striking progress has been made in the prevention of mental retardation. Since mental retardation is a symptom rather than a distinct disease entity, its prevention requires attention to many different areas. Heterozygote detection, specific factors of pregnancy, the current status of newborn screening, and major postnatal factors associated with mental retardation are some of the issues discussed in this centennial paper. Although considerable progress has been made, the causes and, hence, the modes of prevention of mental retardation for the majority of retarded individuals are unknown. Continued progress will require the combined efforts of both medical and social scientists if the goal, the prevention of mental retardation, is to be realized.