title: Dementia in people with intellectual disability: insights and challenges in epidemiological research with an at-risk population.
abstract: The population with intellectual disability (ID) is ageing, but age-related health concerns such as dementia have received little research attention thus far. We review evidence regarding the prevalence and incidence of dementia in people with ID, and discuss some possible explanations for an increased risk, such as shared genetic risk factors, co-morbid physical and mental disorders, lifestyle factors, trauma, and lowered brain reserve. We discuss practical and theoretical challenges facing researchers in this field, before highlighting the implications of findings to date for future research and clinical care. Research on dementia in this at-risk population has the potential to help us understand dementia in general and to improve services for this group of vulnerable individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales , Sydney, NSW.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brodaty
authors.forename: Perminder
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sachdev
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Draper
authors.forename: Julian N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Trollor
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors