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ERIC Number: EJ1124202
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Dec
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1744-6295
EISSN: N/A
Down Syndrome and Dementia: Is Depression a Confounder for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment?
Wark, Stuart; Hussain, Rafat; Parmenter, Trevor
Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, v18 n4 p305-314 Dec 2014
The past century has seen a dramatic improvement in the life expectancy of people with Down syndrome. However, research has shown that individuals with Down syndrome now have an increased likelihood of early onset dementia. They are more likely than their mainstream peers to experience other significant co-morbidities including mental health issues such as depression. This case study reports a phenomenon in which three individuals with Down syndrome and dementia are described as experiencing a rebound in their functioning after a clear and sustained period of decline. It is hypothesized that this phenomenon is not actually a reversal of the expected dementia trajectory but is an undiagnosed depression exaggerating the true level of functional decline associated with the dementia. The proactive identification and treatment of depressive symptoms may therefore increase the quality of life of some people with Down syndrome and dementia.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A