For Kids With Down Syndrome, a 'Ray of Hope' - Mental Retardation (Intellectual Disabilities)

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Introduction and Nature of Mental Retardation (Intellectual Disabilities)Adaptive and Borderline Intellectual Functioning in Mental RetardationMental Retardation Associated TraitsOnset of Mental RetardationPrevalence of Mental RetardationMental Retardation SpectrumSymptoms of Mental RetardationMedical Syndromes Associated with Mental RetardationMedical Syndromes Associated with Mental Retardation ContinuedMental Retardation and Physical Brain TraumaGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Down SyndromeGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Williams SyndromeGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Angelman SyndromeGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Bardet-Biedel and Laurence-Moon SyndromesGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Cockayne and Cri du Chat SyndromesGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - De Lange SyndromeGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Fragile X SyndromeGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Rubinstein-Taybi SyndromeGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Tay-Sachs DiseaseGenetic Causes of Mental Retardation - Prader-Willi SyndromeDistinguishing Mental Retardation from Pervasive Developmental DisordersMental Retardation and Co-morbid DisordersMental Retardation DiagnosisMental Retardation Diagnosis ContinuedFormal DSM-IV-TR (2000) Recognized Criteria for Mental RetardationMental Retardation DSM IV Grouping LevelsDiagnosis of Borderline Intellectual FunctioningAmerican Association on Mental Retardation Diagnostic ClassificationHistorical and Contemporary Perspectives on Mental RetardationEarly Medical Explanations for Mental Retardation Historical Terms for Mental Retardation Historical Terms for Mental Retardation ContinuedModern Medical Explanations for Mental Retardation Modern Medical Explanations for Mental Retardation ContinuedChanging Attitudes and Prejudices about Mental Retardation Advances in Intelligence TestingMental Retardation: Advances in GeneticsSocial Policy and Mental Retardation Mental Retardation Treatment - Behavioral, Social and EducationalMental Retardation: IEPs and Choice of School VenueMental Retardation: Social Skills TrainingMental Retardation: Occupational Skills TrainingMental Retardation: Academic TrainingUseful Methods for Teaching Mentally Retarded StudentsMental Retardation and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)Mental Retardation: Educational and Treatment SettingsMental Retardation: Physical Therapy and Sensory IntegrationMental Retardation: Occupational and Speech TherapyMental Retardation Treatments That Probably Don't WorkServices for Adults with Mental Retardation Mental Retardation Funding SourcesMental Retardation: Family Support ServicesMental Retardation: Family Therapy and Support GroupsAdvocacy for Mental Retardation Adults with Mental Retardation - EmploymentMental Retardation and ReproductionMental Retardation and MortalityMental Retardation ConclusionMental Retardation Resources

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For Kids With Down Syndrome, a 'Ray of Hope'
(HealthDay News)
by -- Randy Dotinga
Updated: Nov 19th 2009

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THURSDAY, Nov. 19 (HealthDay News) -- New research may provide the foundation for future medical treatment of memory deficits associated with Down syndrome.

The research was conducted in mice that were genetically engineered to have a condition similar to Down syndrome, a genetic disorder. It is still not clear if humans would benefit from the findings.

Still, the researchers found that mice with the syndrome-like condition could use their brains more effectively when the signaling of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that helps nerve cells communicate, was boosted.

"If you intervene early enough, you will be able to help kids with Down syndrome to collect and modulate information," Dr. Ahmad Salehi, the study's primary author, said in a news release from Stanford University Medical Center. "Theoretically, that could lead to an improvement in cognitive functions in these kids." Salehi, a research health science specialist at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, in California, was a senior scientist at Stanford when the study was conducted.

The study found that the mice did better on cognitive tests such as nest-building -- in fact, as well as normal mice -- after getting drugs that boosted norepinephrine levels.

"We were very surprised to see that, wow, it worked so fast," Salehi said. The results were published Nov. 18 in Science Translational Medicine.

The study results give "a ray of hope and optimism for the Down syndrome community for the future," Dr. Melanie Manning, director of the Center for Down Syndrome at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, said in the news release.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more on Down syndrome.

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