2018 Pilot Awards for Global Brain Health Leaders (GBHI)

Domiciliary Alzheimer Visiting in Down syndrome

Maria Carmona-Iragui, MD, PhD, MHS
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
Barcelona, Spain

Individuals with Down syndrome are at a high risk for developing Alzheimer’s. By the early age of 40, most people with Down syndrome have a build-up of beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles in their brains, two major hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. However, intellectual disability in this population increases challenge of diagnosing Alzheimer’s at early stages. Dr. Iragui and her colleagues have developed a health plan to provide cognitive home assessments to those individuals that cannot visit their hospital. The study will provide better and personalized health care to this group of individuals with the goal of improving their own and their caregivers’ quality of life.