Advancing knowledge of human development, developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Individuals with Down syndrome have differences in how their brains form that cause intellectual disability. Down syndrome or trisomy 21 is the most common genetic cause of intellectual and developmental disability and is caused by the triplication of chromosome 21.
Giang Pham, a rising senior from Lawrence University in Appleton, is spending her second summer doing research at the Waisman Center University of Wisconsin–Madison as part of an internship program established and supported by the late John Mielke, MD, a former member of the Waisman Board of Visitors and Appleton native, and his wife Sally. …
Puerto Rican families have started traveling to Wisconsin to be part of the research study, but the goal is to build the infrastructure to eventually conduct the studies on the island.
Individuals with Down syndrome have a 90% lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Signs of neurodegeneration in individuals with Down syndrome may start as early as birth, a critical stage of brain development, a new study shows. The research, from investigators at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides an atlas of early brain development in Down syndrome that could inform potential targeted treatments to address the developmental and degenerative aspects of the condition.
Down syndrome, a neurodevelopmental condition caused by a triplicated 21st chromosome, often presents with co-occurring developmental conditions such as autism. But diagnosing autism in someone with Down syndrome can be difficult as they have overlapping symptoms.
A new Waisman study found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)—such as abuse, neglect, or exposure to household challenges—can have lasting effects on adults with Down syndrome, including their mental health and ability to cope with life changes. While ACES are known to impact the general population, this research is among the first to show similar—and in some cases heightened—effects in individuals with Down syndrome.
The Wisconsin LEND Program prepares individuals with disabilities to engage in policy discussions, giving them the tools and confidence to make their voices heard.
Mothers of children with developmental disabilities experience long-term stress, adapting for many years but showing signs of ‘wear-and-tear’ starting around age 65, affecting their physical and mental health.
It focuses on teaching proactive and positive strategies for supporting individuals with disabilities through a broad range of behaviors and escalation levels.
