Originally published January 3 2006
Psychiatrists believe they have found a way to treat Down's Syndrome patients
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Archives of General Psychiatry has published research from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London that suggests that doctors may be able to treat people with Down's syndrome by controlling the level of myo-inositol in their brains.
A team at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London found people with Down's syndrome have higher levels of myo-inositol in their brains.
They also found increased levels of this molecule are associated with reduced intellectual ability.
The researchers also suspect that high levels of myo-inositol could play a role in predisposing people with Down syndrome to early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Once they reach the age of 40, almost all people with Down's syndrome show the brain characteristics of Alzheimer's disease - though they do not all go on to develop dementia.
Lead researcher Professor Declan Murphy said: "We have shown in this study that adults with Down's syndrome have a significantly higher concentration of myo-inositol in the hippocampal region of their brains, and this increase is associated with a reduced cognitive ability.
It is caused when a child has three copies of chromosome 21, rather than the usual two.
The latest research has shown that one of the genes on chromosome 21 controls production of a protein that pumps the molecule myo-inositol into the brain.
The increased levels of myo-inositol in the brains of people with Down's syndrome could be explained by the fact that these people have an extra copy of the gene that makes this pump.
The Down's Syndrome Association said it welcomed any research that may have a beneficial effect on the lives of people with the condition.
In a statement, the charity said: "We are very pleased that scientists are producing results that help us to understand the reasons behind Down's syndrome's associated learning disability.
"However, the Institute of Psychiatry's research does not herald a 'cure' for the condition, and any treatment available is still a long way in the future."
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