Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome

Abstract

Down syndrome (DS) is the cause of fully penetrant genetically determined Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Memory-focused cognitive impairment is the most common initial symptom. As life expectancy has risen above the age of 60, the number of cases of AD among the DS population has increased. As in other cases of AD, early diagnosis is possible, although it is necessary to be able to carry out a specialist neurological and neuropsychological examination. Once the existence of cognitive impairment has been detected, as in other cases of AD, biomarkers help confirm the diagnosis. This enables the symptoms of AD to be treated, along with other health issues that most frequently accompany this disease (epilepsy and sleep disruption, for example). Early diagnosis and proper treatment of AD can improve the quality of life of people with DS and their caregivers.