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. 2023 May 22;9(2):e12393.
doi: 10.1002/trc2.12393. eCollection 2023 Apr-Jun.

Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease: A scoping review of functional performance and fall risk

Selena E Washington  1 , Emily Cler  1 , Cameron Lowery  2 , Susan L Stark  3
Affiliations

Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease: A scoping review of functional performance and fall risk

Selena E Washington et al. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). .

Abstract

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) occurs in aging adults with Down syndrome (DS) at a higher prevalence and an earlier age than in typical aging adults. As with the general aging adult population, there is an urgent need to understand the preclinical and early phases of AD progression in the adult population with DS. The aim of this scoping review was to synthesize the current state of the evidence and identify gaps in the literature regarding functional activity performance and falls and their significance to disease staging (i.e., mild, moderate, and severe defined staging criteria) in relation to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) in adults with DS.

Methods: This scoping review included six electronic databases (e.g., PsycInfo, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, COCHRANE Library, MEDLINE, and PubMed). Eligible studies included participants with DS ≥25 years of age, studies with functional measures and/or outcomes (e.g., activities of daily living, balance, gait, motor control, speech, behavior, and cognition; falls; and fall risks), and studies that investigated AD pathology and implications.

Results: Fourteen eligible studies were included and categorized through a thematic analysis into the following themes: (1) physical activity and motor coordination (PAMC), (2) cognition, (3) behavior, and (4) sleep. The studies indicated how functional activity performance and engagement may contribute to early identification of those at risk of cognitive decline and AD development and/or progression.

Discussion: There is a need to expand the research regarding ADRD pathology relative to functional outcomes in adults with DS. Functional measures related to disease staging and cognitive impairment are essential to understanding how AD progression is characterized within real-world settings. This scoping review identified the need for additional mixed-methods research to examine the use of assessment and intervention related to function and its detection of cognitive decline and AD progression.

Keywords: Down syndrome; aging; cognition; falls; function.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. All authors have seen and agree with the contents of the manuscript and there is no financial interest to report. We certify that the submission is original work and is not under review at any other publication.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
PRISMA 2009 Flow diagram of information through the phases of the scoping review PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses. Adapted from Moher et al.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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