CNLM Colloquium UCI Spotlight Series

What we can learn about Alzheimer disease from people with Down syndrome

Join the CNLM in a hybrid colloquium featuring Dr. Elizabeth Head, professor of pathology at UC Irvine.

This event will be held in-person in the Herklotz Conference Center and virtually via Zoom.

Description:  Virtually all people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer disease neuropathology by the time they are 40 years of age.  Interestingly, the first signs of cognitive decline may not occur until after 50 years of age, and some people reach their 60’s without clinical decline.  By examining the brains of people with Down syndrome across the lifespan we can understand the order of events in the development of Alzheimer disease, including when and where cerebrovascular changes and neuroinflammation occur.  Learning about the sequence of events of Alzheimer disease pathogenesis in Down syndrome will allow us to design prevention and treatment interventions.  Information learned from people with Down syndrome may in turn, help us promote successful aging in this vulnerable group and may be translated to all people at risk of Alzheimer disease.