Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.

Down Syndrome (DS) is characterised by premature aging and an accelerated decline of cognitive functions in the vast majority of cases. As the life expectancy of DS persons is rapidly increasing, this decline is becoming a dramatic health problem. The aim of this study was to thoroughly evaluate a g...

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Main Authors: Alessandro Ghezzo, Stefano Salvioli, Maria Caterina Solimando, Alice Palmieri, Chiara Chiostergi, Maria Scurti, Laura Lomartire, Federica Bedetti, Guido Cocchi, Daniela Follo, Emanuela Pipitone, Paolo Rovatti, Jessica Zamberletti, Tiziano Gomiero, Gastone Castellani, Claudio Franceschi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4242614?pdf=render
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spelling doaj-03944c575a0c4bd292b4e1dd9395e1482020-11-25T01:23:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-01911e11311110.1371/journal.pone.0113111Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.Alessandro GhezzoStefano SalvioliMaria Caterina SolimandoAlice PalmieriChiara ChiostergiMaria ScurtiLaura LomartireFederica BedettiGuido CocchiDaniela FolloEmanuela PipitonePaolo RovattiJessica ZamberlettiTiziano GomieroGastone CastellaniClaudio FranceschiDown Syndrome (DS) is characterised by premature aging and an accelerated decline of cognitive functions in the vast majority of cases. As the life expectancy of DS persons is rapidly increasing, this decline is becoming a dramatic health problem. The aim of this study was to thoroughly evaluate a group of 67 non-demented persons with DS of different ages (11 to 66 years), from a neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric and psychomotor point of view in order to evaluate in a cross-sectional study the age-related adaptive and neuropsychological features, and to possibly identify early signs predictive of cognitive decline. The main finding of this study is that both neuropsychological functions and adaptive skills are lower in adult DS persons over 40 years old, compared to younger ones. In particular, language and short memory skills, frontal lobe functions, visuo-spatial abilities and adaptive behaviour appear to be the more affected domains. A growing deficit in verbal comprehension, along with social isolation, loss of interest and greater fatigue in daily tasks, are the main features found in older, non demented DS persons evaluated in our study. It is proposed that these signs can be alarm bells for incipient dementia, and that neuro-cognitive rehabilitation and psycho-pharmacological interventions must start as soon as the fourth decade (or even earlier) in DS persons, i.e. at an age where interventions can have the greatest efficacy.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4242614?pdf=render
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Alessandro Ghezzo
Stefano Salvioli
Maria Caterina Solimando
Alice Palmieri
Chiara Chiostergi
Maria Scurti
Laura Lomartire
Federica Bedetti
Guido Cocchi
Daniela Follo
Emanuela Pipitone
Paolo Rovatti
Jessica Zamberletti
Tiziano Gomiero
Gastone Castellani
Claudio Franceschi
spellingShingle Alessandro Ghezzo
Stefano Salvioli
Maria Caterina Solimando
Alice Palmieri
Chiara Chiostergi
Maria Scurti
Laura Lomartire
Federica Bedetti
Guido Cocchi
Daniela Follo
Emanuela Pipitone
Paolo Rovatti
Jessica Zamberletti
Tiziano Gomiero
Gastone Castellani
Claudio Franceschi
Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.
PLoS ONE
author_facet Alessandro Ghezzo
Stefano Salvioli
Maria Caterina Solimando
Alice Palmieri
Chiara Chiostergi
Maria Scurti
Laura Lomartire
Federica Bedetti
Guido Cocchi
Daniela Follo
Emanuela Pipitone
Paolo Rovatti
Jessica Zamberletti
Tiziano Gomiero
Gastone Castellani
Claudio Franceschi
author_sort Alessandro Ghezzo
title Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.
title_short Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.
title_full Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.
title_fullStr Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.
title_full_unstemmed Age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with Down Syndrome.
title_sort age-related changes of adaptive and neuropsychological features in persons with down syndrome.
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
series PLoS ONE
issn 1932-6203
publishDate 2014-01-01
description Down Syndrome (DS) is characterised by premature aging and an accelerated decline of cognitive functions in the vast majority of cases. As the life expectancy of DS persons is rapidly increasing, this decline is becoming a dramatic health problem. The aim of this study was to thoroughly evaluate a group of 67 non-demented persons with DS of different ages (11 to 66 years), from a neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric and psychomotor point of view in order to evaluate in a cross-sectional study the age-related adaptive and neuropsychological features, and to possibly identify early signs predictive of cognitive decline. The main finding of this study is that both neuropsychological functions and adaptive skills are lower in adult DS persons over 40 years old, compared to younger ones. In particular, language and short memory skills, frontal lobe functions, visuo-spatial abilities and adaptive behaviour appear to be the more affected domains. A growing deficit in verbal comprehension, along with social isolation, loss of interest and greater fatigue in daily tasks, are the main features found in older, non demented DS persons evaluated in our study. It is proposed that these signs can be alarm bells for incipient dementia, and that neuro-cognitive rehabilitation and psycho-pharmacological interventions must start as soon as the fourth decade (or even earlier) in DS persons, i.e. at an age where interventions can have the greatest efficacy.
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4242614?pdf=render
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