Teaming up to expand Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome research

Each year, about 6,000 American children are born with Down syndrome (DS), the most common chromosomal alteration. Adults with DS are at very high risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Virtually all adults with DS have brain changes consistent with AD by age 40, and a high percentage of them go on to develop dementia by their late 60s. But there is wide variation in age at dementia symptom onset, which suggests there are additional […]

Cognito Therapeutics Initiates Studies in Down Syndrome Associated Alzheimer’s Disease

“We’re excited to advance another disease-modifying therapeutic in our pipeline, as current estimates suggest that 50% or more of people with Down syndrome will develop dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. With no treatments currently indicated for Down syndrome associated Alzheimer’s, new therapies are urgently needed for this patient population” CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cognito Therapeutics, a clinical-stage company leading the development of a new class of disease-modifying digital therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, announced […]

Would an Organ Transplant be Denied for My Daughter?

My daughter was born with a small hole in her heart. Such abnormalities are common in babies with Down syndrome, and we were lucky that her heart quickly repaired itself as she grew. Now as a third-grader, she rides her bike in our neighborhood on Saturday mornings, and she plays tag with her friends at recess. During those early days of her life as we faced an unexpected future, I could not have imagined what […]

Hero’s Sendoff Given Woman With Down Syndrome At Staten Island University Hospital After Beating COVID

A young woman who has battled the odds throughout her life most recently beat COVID-19. On Tuesday, she got a surprise from the doctors and nurses who helped save her life, CBS2’s Hazel Sanchez reported. Gabriella Acosta is tough. After a frightening bout with COVID one year ago, she’s celebrating her 21st birthday. The pediatric staff who cared for her at Staten Island University Hospital surprised her with a birthday party that had a wrestling […]

After court ruling Down syndrome abortion bans gain traction

It’s a ban that even supporters acknowledge will be hard to enforce. Yet 2021 has been a breakthrough year for legislation in several states seeking to prohibit abortions based solely on a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Governors in Arizona and South Dakota recently signed such bills into law, and similar measures are pending in North Carolina and Texas. Most significantly, a federal appellate court said Ohio could begin to implement a 2017 law that […]