Neuroanatomy of Down Syndrome in vivo: A Model of Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Aging in Down syndrome (DS) is accompanied by neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, DS has been proposed as a model to study predementia stages of AD. MRI-based measurement of grey matter atrophy is an in vivo surrogate marker of regional neuronal density. A range of neuroimaging studies have described the macroscopic neuroanatomy of DS. Recent studies using sensitive quantitative measures of region-specific atrophy based on high-resolution MRI suggest that age-related atrophy in DS resembles the pattern of brain atrophy in early stages of AD. The pattern of atrophy determined in predementia DS supports the notion that AD-type pathology leads to neuronal degeneration not only in allocortical, but also in neocortical brain areas before onset of clinical dementia. This has major implications for our understanding of the onset and progression of AD-type pathology both in DS and in sporadic AD.

Age‐Related Cortical Thickness Reduction in Non‐Demented Down's Syndrome Subjects

“…3 DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes. 6,23,24 Although, at an earlier age, the significant age-related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population. DS subjects are affected by cognitive impairment that leads to dementia.…”

“…Cortical involvement in DS could be justified by the known accumulation of amyloid plaques, but also by an accelerated process of normal aging . DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes . Although, at an earlier age, the significant age‐related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population.…”

Age‐Related Cortical Thickness Reduction in Non‐Demented Down's Syndrome Subjects

“…3 DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes. 6,23,24 Although, at an earlier age, the significant age-related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population. DS subjects are affected by cognitive impairment that leads to dementia.…”

“…Cortical involvement in DS could be justified by the known accumulation of amyloid plaques, but also by an accelerated process of normal aging . DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes . Although, at an earlier age, the significant age‐related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population.…”

The effectiveness of racket-sport intervention on visual perception and executive functions in children with mild intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning

“……”

Relationship Between Brain and Cognitive Processes in Down Syndrome

“…Moreover, findings suggest that regional brain atrophy in medial temporal lobe accompanies aging in DS and can be detected even before the onset of clinical dementia (Teipel and Hampel 2006).…”

Age‐Related Cortical Thickness Reduction in Non‐Demented Down's Syndrome Subjects

“…3 DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes. 6,23,24 Although, at an earlier age, the significant age-related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population. DS subjects are affected by cognitive impairment that leads to dementia.…”

“…Cortical involvement in DS could be justified by the known accumulation of amyloid plaques, but also by an accelerated process of normal aging . DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes . Although, at an earlier age, the significant age‐related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population.…”

The effectiveness of racket-sport intervention on visual perception and executive functions in children with mild intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning

“……”

Relationship Between Brain and Cognitive Processes in Down Syndrome

“…Moreover, findings suggest that regional brain atrophy in medial temporal lobe accompanies aging in DS and can be detected even before the onset of clinical dementia (Teipel and Hampel 2006).…”

Age‐Related Cortical Thickness Reduction in Non‐Demented Down's Syndrome Subjects

“…3 DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes. 6,23,24 Although, at an earlier age, the significant age-related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population. DS subjects are affected by cognitive impairment that leads to dementia.…”

“…Cortical involvement in DS could be justified by the known accumulation of amyloid plaques, but also by an accelerated process of normal aging . DS is a developmental disorder and therefore any developmental abnormalities are superimposed on age related changes . Although, at an earlier age, the significant age‐related loss of volume in frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of DS subjects is in good agreement with atrophic process reported in general population.…”

The effectiveness of racket-sport intervention on visual perception and executive functions in children with mild intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning

“……”

Relationship Between Brain and Cognitive Processes in Down Syndrome

“…Moreover, findings suggest that regional brain atrophy in medial temporal lobe accompanies aging in DS and can be detected even before the onset of clinical dementia (Teipel and Hampel 2006).…”