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Eimear McGlinchey, PhD
Trinity College
Dublin, Ireland
Individuals with Down syndrome are at a high risk for developing Alzheimer’s. By the early age of 40, most people with Down syndrome have a build-up of beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles in their brains, both hallmark brain changes observed in Alzheimer’s. Studies show that individuals with Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s show similar changes in select brain regions that are interconnected and that are important for learning, memory and attention. Dr. Eimear McGlinchey and colleagues will study how the nerve cell networks in the brains of individuals with Down syndrome may be affected or changed when in the presence of the brain changes detected in Alzheimer’s. Their data will be compared to another ongoing international study called PREVENT, which is examining early brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s from individuals in middle age. The researchers will collect brain scans, blood samples and cognitive test data from their participants and analyze them to find a potential association with the organization of nerve cell networks in the brains. If successful, the study results could help understand how the early brain changes due to Alzheimer’s may be affecting individuals with Down syndrome.
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