Briefly in education

People with Down syndrome may hold the key to treating Alzheimer’s

disease in its earliest stages, according to a UC Irvine medical study

released Monday.

The study, which was conducted on patients with Down syndrome who died

with Alzheimer’s disease, shows that the earliest brain changes of

Alzheimer’s may be seen in childhood. It also indicates that antioxidants

could possibly be used to help prevent or slow the development of the

disease in people with Down syndrome and the general population.

Ira Lott, professor of pediatrics and neurology; Elizabeth Head,

research scientist at UCI’s institute of Brain Aging and Dementia; and

their colleagues found that an oxidized version of a key protein linked

to Alzheimer’s was found in the brains of young deceased patients with

Alzheimer’s.