Age-related changes in aerobic capacity in individuals with mental retardation: a 20-yr review.

Introduction: Persons with mental retardation (MR), particularly individuals with Down syndrome (DS), have been found to have attenuated peak exercise responses in previous research. However, it is unknown if the pattern of age-associated changes in HR or aerobic capacity (VO2peak) is similar to individuals without disabilities.

Purpose: To investigate age-related changes in aerobic capacity in persons with MR, with and without DS, using a retrospective analysis.