The relationship between poor health and cognitive impairment is not fully understood yet. People with Down syndrome are prone to a number of health problems, including congenital heart defect, visual impairment, hearing loss, autoimmune diseases, epilepsy, early-onset Alzheimer's disease and intellectual disability. Our aim was to assess the…

A study examined two methods of using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales with people with Down syndrome at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Scoring the scales using the basal rule outlined in the manual resulted in highlighting significant declines in scores for those meeting the criteria for "probable Alzheimer's disease."…

This article raises critical issues that need to addressed while considering the future needs of people with Down syndrome and dementia, along with suggestions as to how they may be met. It discusses dementia diagnosis, staff training, the family's role, advantages of health screening, and difficulties in collating accurate information. (Contains…

Several cross-sectional studies and one longitudinal study were conducted on the language abilities of various cohorts of persons with Down syndrome (ages 14-50). A gradual decrease in global cerebral metabolic rate (CMR) for both hemispheres and for each participant was documented, however, no language deterioration could be associated with CMR…

The mental health, adaptive behaviour and intellectual abilities of people with Down syndrome (n=129) were evaluated in a population-based survey of social and health care records. Females had better cognitive abilities and speech production compared with males. Males had more behavioural problems than females. Behaviour suggestive of attention…

A major challenge to developing therapeutic interventions for cognitive loss and dementia in aging individuals with Down syndrome (DS) is the selection of appropriate outcome measures. This report describes the adaptation of the Brief Praxis Test (a nonverbal cognitive test) as a primary outcome measure, as well as the selection of secondary…