The Early Presentation of Dementia in People with Down Syndrome: a Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the published literature on longitudinal data in order to identify the cognitive and behavioural changes occurring during the prodromal and early stages of AD in this population . Fifteen peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria, including a total number of 831 participants, with the duration between baseline and follow up varying from 1 year to 47 years. Results suggest that, compared to the general population for which short-term (episodic) memory loss is the m ost common indicator associated with the onset of AD, in people with DS, executive dysfunction and Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) are commonly observed during pre-clinical and early stages and may precede memory loss. The review highlights the importance of using a broad s pectrum of assessments in the context of heterogeneity of symptoms. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, as well as the need for further research.
Source: Neuropsychology Review - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research