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Down's syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, and reality orientation: A REVIEW
Author(s) -
Prosser Glyn
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of the british institute of mental handicap (apex)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 0261-9997
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.1989.tb00515.x
Subject(s) - dementia , postponement , disease , medicine , population , psychiatry , psychology , orientation (vector space) , alzheimer's disease , down syndrome , gerontology , pathology , geometry , environmental health , marketing , business , mathematics
Book reviewed in this article: Characteristics associated with ageing in people with mental handicaps are similar to those for the general population, but dementia of the Alzheimer type frequently occurs in those with Down's syndrome. Evidence favouring a genetic basis for this association has been documented, yet it has been found that despite the probable presence of Alzheimer‐type lesions in the brain of every person with Down's syndrome over the age of 30 years, only about one‐third ultimately present the clinical symptoms of dementia. It is also true that many other people who are at risk for Alzheimer's disease do not present the symptoms, so that environmental factors are probably implicated. Reality orientation programmes designed to help in the prevention or postponement of dementia generally may also be appropriate for people with Down's syndrome from the fourth decade of their lives.