Premium
Temporal lobe‐oriented CT scanning and dementia in Down's syndrome
Author(s) -
Lawlor Brian A.,
McCarron Mary,
Wilson Graham,
McLoughlin Martin
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.358
Subject(s) - dementia , temporal lobe , atrophy , psychology , neuropsychology , alzheimer's disease , audiology , neuroscience , disease , cognition , medicine , pathology , epilepsy
Background Although individuals with Down's syndrome (DS) are uniquely at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, the diagnosis of dementia in DS is problematic because of the difficulty in detecting cognitive decline in individuals with pre‐existing learning disability. Aim To determine if dementia in DS is associated with Medial Temporal Lobe (MTL) atrophy as measured by temporal lobe‐oriented CT scanning. Method Ten individuals with DS who were experiencing functional decline had CT scans with temporal lobe‐oriented views. All individuals were assessed for the presence of dementia according to modified DSM‐IIIR criteria. The minimal thickness of the MTL, corrected for age‐related atrophy was measured using a computer calipers at the level of the mid‐brainstem by a radiologist blind to the dementia diagnosis. Results All six individuals who met modified DSM‐IIIR criteria for dementia showed significant MTL atrophy. Conclusions The utility of temporal lobe‐oriented CT scanning as an adjunct to the diagnosis of dementia in DS appears promising and warrants further study. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.