At the other end of life neuronal cell loss in the brain occurs. Old age is associated with an increased risk of developing minor cognitive difficulties and the development of more serious mental health problems, such as depression and dementia, as well as physical illnesses. In the general population relatively minor cognitive difficulties in old age are common, however, the more serious brain changes associated with disorders such as dementia are relative rare, although the risk of such disorders increases as people live into their 70s and gas. The most common form of dementia which occurs in later life is called Alzheimer’s disease, named after Alois Alzheimer who, in 1906, first described the characteristic brain changes (called plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) associated with this disorder. In the past this was often referred to as senile or pre-senile dementia.
In Down’s syndrome the situation is different. It has been recognised since the early 1900’s that changes are observed in the brain from relatively early in life and by middle age the formation of Alzheimer-like ‘plaques and tangles’ has occurred. Strikingly these ‘Alzheimer-like’ brain changes, are almost always found in people with Down’s syndrome who have died in middle age or later but are not found at such a relatively young age in people who have learning disabilities for reasons other than Down’s syndrome.
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.dsrf.co.uk)
