Jan. 11, 2013 A study led by UC Irvine researchers has revealed
some of the underlying neural factors that explain why people
with Down syndrome are more susceptible to Alzheimer's disease,
diabetes and autistic spectrum disorders. Jorge Busciglio,
associate professor of neurobiology & behavior, and colleagues
analyzed the cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to
oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in Down syndrome
individuals. They found that this breakdown in energy metabolism
within brain cells contributes to the higher probability of
these other conditions. Down syndrome occurs when a person has
47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. Estimates suggest that
25 percent or more of individuals over 35 with Down syndrome
show signs of Alzheimer's-type dementia. This percentage
increases with age. The incidence of Alzheimer's disease in
people with Down syndrome is roughly three to five times greater
than in the general population. Pablo Helguera, Jaqueline
Seiglie and Michael Hanna of UC Irvine