Effects of antidepressants on longevity and dementia onset among adults with Down syndrome: a retrospective study.

Objective: To investigate the effects of antidepressants on longevity, age at dementia onset, and survival after onset among adults with Down syndrome, controlling for late-onset seizures, trisomy 21 mosaicism, and cholinesterase inhibitor use.

Method: The charts of 357 adults with Down syndrome (mean age at first visit = 46.3 years, SD = 9.

Quantifying established clinical assessment measures using 3D-movement analysis in individuals with Down syndrome.

Purpose: A movement protocol for quantifying functional limitation in people with Down syndrome (DS) during the execution of a series of range of motion (ROM) tasks has been developed as a new assessment approach, combining quantitative measures of movement analysis and functional mobility with clinically established qualitative motor skill assessments.

Methods: Fifteen subjects with DS and 11 subjects with typical development were evaluated using this movement protocol.

Results: The results revealed longer durations in execution across all tasks in the DS group and were most likely due to low muscular tone and poor coordination.

Evaluation of screening tools for dementia in older adults with mental retardation.

We compared groups with and without diagnosed dementia matched on IQ, age, and presence of Down syndrome. The Dementia Scale for Down Syndrome and Dementia Questionnaire for Mentally Retarded Persons were used to assess participants. We developed two performance tasks to determine whether they were useful in separating subjects with and without dementia and also used the Reiss Screen.

Treatment of previously undiagnosed psychiatric disorders in persons with developmental disabilities decreased or eliminated self-injurious behavior.

Background: Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is one of the most common challenging behaviors in persons with autistic disorder or severe/profound mental retardation. Many psychotropic drugs have been evaluated for their effectiveness in SIB. Results have varied, and no one psychotropic drug has been indicated for SIB.