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Regression in Adolescents and Adults with Down Syndrome

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Physical Health of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

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Abstract

There has been a growing number of clinical case reports of regression in adolescents and adults with Down syndrome who have shown unexpected and severe regression in cognitive and adaptive functioning, motor function, communication skills, and behavior. In this chapter, we call this adult regression syndrome. It most commonly affects people with Down syndrome in their teens and twenties and is associated with cognitive-executive impairment, social withdrawal, loss of functional language and previously acquired adaptive skills, lasting greater than 3 months. The differential diagnosis is extensive suggesting that the brains of individuals with Down syndrome are vulnerable to further impairment from a variety of underlying causes. Several of the most important diagnoses are discussed further. Prognosis is highly dependent on both the cause and the certainty of the diagnosis. Further study is needed to improve our understanding of adult regression syndrome.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advocate Medical Group, Adult Down Syndrome Center, Park Ridge, IL, USA

    Brian Chicoine

  2. Faculty, Family Medicine Residency, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL, USA

    Brian Chicoine

  3. Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    George Capone

  4. Down Syndrome Clinic & Research Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA

    George Capone

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  1. Brian Chicoine
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  2. George Capone
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Correspondence to Brian Chicoine .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Greenfields, Birmingham, UK

    Vee P. Prasher

  2. University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Matthew P. Janicki

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Chicoine, B., Capone, G. (2019). Regression in Adolescents and Adults with Down Syndrome. In: Prasher, V., Janicki, M. (eds) Physical Health of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90083-4_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90083-4_7

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