We have seen a profound increase in lifespan for individuals with Down syndrome (DS) in the past few decades leading to a large and somewhat understudied population of middle- and older aged adults with DS. One health condition consistently seen in clinic-based DS samples is dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease).
Slide of the Week
Bradley T Christian, PhD – Slide of the Week
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and show the earliest signs of amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in the striatum. The metric for tracking Aβ burden using PET radiotracers frequently uses average standard uptake value ratios (SUVr) in signature regions of the brain specific to Aβ deposition.
Sriram Boothalingam, PhD – Slide of the Week
The auditory brainstem reflex tag-team: panel A is a schematic of the neural connections between two brainstem auditory reflexes, the medial olivocochlear (MOCR) and the middle ear muscle (MEMR) reflex. While we know that the two reflexes work in tandem and at slightly different frequencies and input sound levels, how the activity of one reflex influences the other is poorly understood.
Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD – Slide of the Week
To identify mechanisms that lead to neurodevelopmental differences in Down syndrome, we used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated from individuals with Down syndrome and differentiated them into progenitors of the cerebral cortex. The progenitors were analyzed by RNA Seq at Day 17 in culture when cells have acquired their positional phenotype.
Barbara B. Bendlin, PhD – Slide of the Week
Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a small molecule produced by the metaorganismal metabolism of dietary choline, has been implicated in human disease pathogenesis, including known risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), such as metabolic, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease.
Randolph Ashton, PhD – Slide of the Week
In tissue engineering applications, sacrificial molding of hydrogel monoliths is a versatile technique for creating 3D molds to control tissue morphology. Previous sacrificial templates fabricated by serial processes such as solvent casting and thermal extrusion/fiber drawing can be used to effectively mold internal geometries within rapidly polymerizing, bulk curing hydrogels.
UCEDD – Slide of the Week
Although intervening early can improve child and family outcomes when a child has a developmental disability, most children with developmental delays are not identified prior to school entry. Childcare professionals can play a key role in identifying delays early.
Andrew Alexander, PhD – Slide of the Week
The segmentation of small brain structures like the amygdala is quite challenging in the presence of distorted and abnormal anatomy from major brain injuries.
Daifeng Wang, PhD – Slide of the Week
Strong genetic associations have been found for a number of psychiatric disorders. However, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms remains challenging.
Ari Rosenberg, PhD – Slide of the Week
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests as a heterogeneous set of social, cognitive, motor, and perceptual symptoms. This system-wide pervasiveness suggests that, rather than narrowly impacting individual systems such as affection or vision, autism may broadly alter neural computation.