FUNCTIONAL REGRESSION IN MENTALLY RETARDED ADULTS

最近医疗保健方面的改善明显增加了 唐氏综合症患者和更年长的人的寿命 唐氏综合症患者的健康和 功能能力提示早产或加速 衰老。事实上，有强有力的证据表明，这其中有 人们对阿尔茨海默病的易感性是独一无二的. 然而，现有的关于唐氏综合症之间关系的研究 综合症和阿尔茨海默氏症一直受到尊重 根据他们的设计、样本大小和受试者选择标准。 本次调查将收集关于以下方面纵向数据 一大群人适应行为的年龄相关变化 唐氏综合征患者与中老年人的比较 将这些患者分配到没有唐氏综合症的匹配组。匹配 变量将是年龄、性别、居住地点和严重程度 精神发育迟滞。自适应行为将使用 A.A.M.D.适应行为量表，标准化、信度高 乐器。最大、最具代表性的老年人样本 唐氏综合症患者将被研究，大多数 关于智力低下者衰老的准确数据 将提供到目前为止收集的数据。 如果，正如我们预期的那样，唐氏综合症患者确实出现了退行性 随着年龄的增长，这项研究的结果将被用于 描述症状的发展过程。此外，因为一个 在研究参与者中死亡的高尸检率是 预期中，确定了 适应行为和神经病理学的回归程度 将对阿尔茨海默病的诊断进行更改。

Recent improvements in medical care have markedly increased the life span of individuals with Down syndrome, and many older people with Down syndrome exhibit changes in health and functional capacities suggestive of premature or accelerated aging. Indeed, there is strong evidence that there is in this population a unique susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease. However, existing studies of the association between Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease have been limited with respect to their design, sample size, and subject selection criteria. The present investigation will collect longitudinal data regarding age-related changes in adaptive behavior in a large group of middle aged to older people with Down syndrome, and compare them to a matched group without Down syndrome. Matching variables will be age, sex, residential placement, and severity of mental retardation. Adaptive behavior will be assessed using the A.A.M.D. Adaptive Behavior Scale, a standardized and reliable instrument. The largest and most representative sample of older people with Down syndrome will be studied, and the most accurate data on the aging in mentally retarded individuals collected to date will be provided. If, as we expect, people with Down syndrome do regress in functioning as they age, results of this study will be used to describe the progression of symptoms. Additionally, because a high rate of autopsy among study participants who die is anticipated, a determination of the relationship between the extent of regression in adaptive behavior and neuropathological changes diagnostic of Alzheimer's disease will be made.