London Down Syndrome Consortium (LonDownS)

We are a multidisciplinary group of clinicians, human geneticists, developmental psychologists, mouse geneticists, psychiatrists and cellular scientists working towards understanding dementia the development of comorbid conditions in people with Down syndrome.

Members

Asaad Baksh

Research Associate

Mina Idris

Research Assistant

Sarah Pape

Clinical Research Fellow

Fedal Saini

PhD student

Rory Sheehan

Senior Clinical Lecturer

Andre Strydom

Professor in Intellectual Disabilities

Miren Tamayo Elizalde

Study Coordinator

Jasmine Wells

Research Assistant

The LonDownS Cohort Study

This is a longitudinal study of adults with Down syndrome that includes bi-annual assessments of cognitive abilities and health. This study explores genetic and environmental factors that influence cognition throughout adulthood, and influence risk for dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease in this population.

Fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome

Linked with the LonDownS cohort study, this project is exploring how we can use biomarkers in the blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid to better understand and predict the development of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome

Neuroimaging biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome

Another addition to the LonDownS Cohort Study, these projects will explore the use of neuroimaging methods (MRI, PET, EEG and fNIRS) to track changes in brain structure and function related to ageing and Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome

Sleep in Down syndrome

Another project linked to the LonDownS cohort study, this study uses objective (actigraphy and polysomnography) and subjective (sleep quality questionnaires) measures of sleep to evaluate the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on sleep in people with Down syndrome.

GO-DS21

GO-DS21 is a research consortium which seeks to explore the mechanisms of comorbidity of obesity in Down Syndrome and understand the gene overdosage in comorbidities associated with Down Syndrome. We are the lead site for Work Package 1: Elucidating age-related comorbidity patterns in Down syndrome. We are currently recruiting participants for GO-DS21. If you are interested in taking part in the project or would like more information, please contact the team.

GO-DS21 project website

H21 Consortium

The LonDowns team are a part of the H21 Consortium which is a European collaboration. This research aims to identify and describe early behavioral and cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer's disease in people with Down syndrome. It also aims to refine and develop a more sophisticated neuropsychological tools to track cognitive decline in this population.

H21 Consortium website

What is the H21 Project Consortium

Looking for Down syndrome treatment an inspiring scientific project which deserves EU’s political will

Trial-ready Cohort Down syndrome (TRC-DS)

This is a study funded by the NIH enrolling people who are willing and ready to participate in current and future clinical trials. We are one of two sites in England.

TRC-DS project website

Complement dysregulation and Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome
Veteleanu, A., Pape, S., Davies, K., Kodosaki, E., Hye, A., Zelek, W. M., Strydom, A. & Morgan, B. P., 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: Alzheimer's and Dementia. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12799
Diabetes and Obesity in Down Syndrome Across the Lifespan: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using U.K. Electronic Health Records
Aslam, A., Baksh, R. A., Pape, S., Strydom, A., Gulliford, M. & Chan, L., 30 Sep 2022, In: Diabetes Care. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Differences in clinical presentation, severity, and treatment of COVID-19 among individuals with Down syndrome from India and high-income countries: Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society survey
Pinku, H., Hüls, A., Feany, P. T., Baumer, N., Dierssen, M., Bargagna, S., Costa, A. C. S., Chicoine, B. A., Rebillat, A. S., Sgandurra, G., Valentini, D., Rohrer, R. T., Levin, J., Lakhanpaul, M., Carfì, A., Sherman, S. L., Strydom, A. & Ghosh, S., 8 Aug 2022, In: Journal of Global Health. 12, 05035. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.12.05035
Structural Connectivity in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease
Saini, F., Dell' Acqua, F. & Strydom, A., 22 Jul 2022, In: Frontiers in Neuroscience. 16, 908413. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.908413
COVID-19 Vaccination of Individuals with Down Syndrome—Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey on Safety, Efficacy, and Factors Associated with the Decision to Be Vaccinated
Trisomy 21 Research Society COVID-19 Initiative, Apr 2022, In: Vaccines. 10, 4, 530. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10040530
Psychiatric issues in aging and dementia
Pape, S., Jones, L., Sadheura, K. & Strydom, A., 1 Jan 2021, The Neurobiology of Aging and Alzheimer Disease in Down Syndrome. Elsevier, p. 273-288 16 p. Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818845-3.00004-9
Susceptibility to COVID-19 Diagnosis in People with Down Syndrome Compared to the General Population: Matched-Cohort Study Using Primary Care Electronic Records in the UK
Baksh, R. A., Strydom, A., Pape, S. E., Chan, L. F. & Gulliford, M. C., Jun 2022, In: Journal of General Internal Medicine. 37, 8, p. 2009-2015 7 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-022-07420-9
Specific Susceptibility to COVID-19 in Adults with Down Syndrome
Illouz, T., Biragyn, A., Frenkel-Morgenstern, M., Weissberg, O., Gorohovski, A., Merzon, E., Green, I., Iulita, F., Flores-Aguilar, L., Dierssen, M., De Toma, I., Lifshitz, H., Antonarakis, S. E., Yu, E., Herault, Y., Potier, M. C., Botté, A., Roper, R., Sredni, B., Sarid, R., & 4 othersLondon, J., Mobley, W., Strydom, A. & Okun, E., Dec 2021, In: NEUROMOLECULAR MEDICINE. 23, 4, p. 561-571 11 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12017-021-08651-5
Covid-19 in children with down syndrome: Data from the trisomy 21 research society survey
MBBS FRCPCH DM on behalf of The Trisomy 21 Research Society COVID-19 Initiative Study Group, 1 Nov 2021, In: Journal of Clinical Medicine. 10, 21, 5125. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10215125
Understanding inequalities in COVID-19 outcomes following hospital admission for people with intellectual disability compared to the general population: A matched cohort study in the UK
Baksh, R. A., Pape, S. E., Smith, J. & Strydom, A., 4 Oct 2021, In: BMJ Open. 11, 10, e052482. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052482

View all publications

World Down Syndrome Day

Please join us for World Down Syndrome Day on Saturday 21st March 2022 at the Crick Institute in London or on Zoom. If you would like to attend, please email downsyndrome@kcl.ac.uk with your name and whether you would like to attend in person or online.'

Group lead

Professor Andre Strydom