Scientists look to people with Down syndrome to test Alzheimer's drugs

The fight to defeat Alzheimer's is a personal one for Frank.

He says that the disease has left his mother in a state of disrepair. It is difficult to see.

The person with Down syndrome knows that he is more likely to develop Alzheimer's than his mother was.

He raises money for Alzheimer's research through the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and also participates in research studies through the Human Trisome Project.

There is a drug that can stop Alzheimer's.

He says that would be great. I hope I can do that for my mom.

Extra chromosomes are riskier.

Many people with Down syndrome will get Alzheimer's if they live long enough.

People with Down syndrome are more likely to carry the extra copy of chromosomes 21.

Intellectual disability is caused by an extra genetic code. It can change the brain in at least two ways that can lead to Alzheimer's.

He says that people with Down Syndrome give us a chance to understand how Alzheimer's disease progresses.

The immune system has a lot of activity.

Down syndrome has an effect on the immune system. People with the condition are protected from some cancers, but also lead to chronic inflammation.

They have brain inflammation across the lifespan.

Brain inflammation is thought to be a factor in Alzheimer's. The brain's immune system needs to be kept in check.

He says that they are running trials for immune modulating agents. An active trial is currently taking place to tone down that response with a class of drugs.

People withheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases can be helped by the use of jak.

Espinosa wants these drugs to reduce inflammation in the brain and cut the risk of Alzheimer's in people with Down Syndrome.

There are extra chromosomes and amyloid.

A different approach is being taken by another team at the institute.

The idea is to increase the immune cell's ability to eat things that are not supposed to be there.

There is a sticky substance in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. People with Down syndrome have more amyloid in their brains because of their extra chromosomes.

Potter wants to increase the number of immune cells that eat amyloid with the drug Leukine.

Leukine was found to be safe to give to people with Alzheimer's.

He says that they didn't expect to see a benefit. Three weeks of Leukine treatment improved the people's cognitive function.

People with Down syndrome did not exist. In March, Potter's team showed that Leukine worked in mice with Down Syndrome.

He says that they were able to apply for a grant to study young adults with Down syndrome.

The National Institute on Aging gave them a grant. They need people with Down syndrome to be part of the study.

That shouldn't be a problem according to the director of neuroscience at the institute.

She says that self-advocates are proponents of research. It's directly impacting their lives and the lives of other people.