Nnnndown's syndrome and alzheimer's disease pdf

Alzheimers disease earlyonset alzheimers disease is more common in adults with down syndrome than in the general population. In parallel with the agedependent increased risk for developing dementia virtually all adults with ds over the age of 40 years have sufficient neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles for a neuropathologically based diagnosis of ad 2,37,38. The connection between down syndrome and alzheimers disease. Dementia is a syndrome consisting of a number of symptoms that include a reduced ability to perform familiar tasks, impairment of memory, judgment and reasoning, and changes in mood and behaviour. About 50% of people with down syndrome in their 60s have alzheimer s dementia. Alzheimer s disease is not inevitable in people with downs syndrome. Down syndrome and alzheimers disease down syndrome also known as trisomy 21 is a condition in which a person is born with extra genetic material from chromosome 21, one of the 23 human chromosomes. Whats the difference between dementia and alzheimers disease. A syndrome is a group of symptoms that doesnt have a definitive diagnosis. Alzheimer s is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out simple tasks. They want to know how alzheimer s disease begins and progresses, so they can develop drugs or other treatments that can stop, delay, or even prevent the disease process. The term dementia does not describe a specific disease, but rather a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a persons ability to perform everyday activities. People with down syndrome begin to show symptoms of alzheimer s disease in their 50s or 60s.

Alzheimers disease in people with down syndrome national. Alzheimers disease in people with down syndrome fact sheet. Alzheimers disease damages nerve cells in the brain, and. Scientists are working hard to understand why some people with down syndrome develop dementia while others do not. According to the national down syndrome society, about 30% of people with down syndrome who are in their 50s have alzheimer s dementia.

This type of alzheimer s is not passed down from a parent to a child. Dementia dementia is a clinical syndrome a group of cooccurring signs and symptoms that involves progressive deterioration of intellectual function. Alzheimers disease ad is one of several causes of dementia, a brain problem. Some dementias are caused by treatable conditions such as depression, thyroid disease, infections or drug interactions.

Many, but not all, people with down syndrome develop alzheimer s disease when they get older. Discover the symptoms, treatments, and latest alzheimers research. While all people with downs syndrome are at risk, many adults with downs syndrome will not manifest the changes of alzheimer s disease in their lifetime. Adults with down syndrome are at increased risk of alzheimers disease as. Assessment of cognitive complaints toolkit for alzheimers disease pdf. All human chromosomes usually occur in pairs, with one copy inherited from a persons mother and one from the father.

Down syndrome and alzheimers alzheimers disease and. Down syndrome learn about symptoms, diagnosis, causes and treatments and how this disorder relates to alzheimers and other dementias. Education delays the onset of ad syndrome without changing the duration of the. Overview of alzheimers disease and related dementias nciom. It is important to be aware of the connection between down syndrome and alzheimers disease so that proper surveillance can be done to look for signs or symptoms of the disease. As with all adults, advancing age also increases the chances a person with down syndrome will develop alzheimers disease. Alzheimers disease ad, also referred to simply as alzheimers, is a chronic.