title: Is the mental deterioration in Down's syndrome linked to impaired terminal degradation of neurofilaments?
abstract: Early detection of foetuses carrying the chromosomal anomaly typical of Down's syndrome provides an efficient means to solve both the social and medical problems inherent in this common form of mental deficiency likely to occur in offsprings to aged mothers. The routine use of this screening procedure, however, is limited to the Western culture. We hope that the present hypothesis suggesting an important role of neurofilament dysfunction in Down's syndrome will stimulate therapeutic approaches aimed at preventing the expression of mental stigmata in children unhappily born with this chromosomal anomaly.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elomaa
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Virtanen
mesh_terms: D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010100:Oxygen