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Dementia in Down syndrome. Untangling the threads
1Department of Community Medicine & General Practice, Monash University, Victoria.
Australian Family Physician
|February 16, 1999
Summary
People with Down syndrome experience dementia earlier than the general population. Early assessment should rule out other medical conditions mimicking Alzheimer disease.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Genetics
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Down syndrome is associated with frequent neuropathological changes.
- Dementia prevalence in Down syndrome is similar to the general population, but onset is earlier.
Observation:
- Individuals with Down syndrome showing functional decline may present with symptoms resembling Alzheimer disease.
- Medical conditions can mimic dementia in this population.
Findings:
- An efficient clinical review system is presented for assessing functional decline in people with Down syndrome.
- This system prioritizes excluding treatable medical conditions.
Implications:
- Early and accurate diagnosis of dementia in Down syndrome is crucial.
- The presented system can aid general practitioners in managing cognitive decline in Down syndrome.
- The adaptable system may also benefit the assessment of cognitive decline in the general population.