Association between Inflammatory Conditions and Alzheimer's Disease Age of Onset in Down Syndrome

Adults with Down syndrome (DS) have an exceptionally high prevalence of Alzheimer disease (AD), with an earlier age of onset compared with the neurotypical population. In addition to beta amyloid, immunological processes involved in neuroinflammation and in peripheral inflammatory/autoimmune conditions are thought to play important roles in the pathophysiology of AD. Individuals with DS also have a high prevalence of autoimmune/inflammatory conditions which may contribute to an increased risk of early AD onset, but this has not been studied. Given the wide range in the age of AD onset in those with DS, we sought to evaluate the relationship between the presence of inflammatory conditions and the age of AD onset. We performed a retrospective study on 339 adults with DS, 125 who were cognitively stable (CS) and 214 with a diagnosis of AD. Data were available for six autoimmune conditions (alopecia, celiac disease, hypothyroidism, psoriasis, diabetes and vitamin B12 deficiency) and for one inflammatory condition, gout. Gout was associated with a significant delay in the age of AD onset by more than 2.5 years. Our data suggests that inflammatory conditions may play a role in the age of AD onset in DS. Further studies are warranted.

Automated summary

Adults with Down syndrome have a high prevalence of Alzheimer's disease, and inflammatory conditions such as diabetes and alopecia may contribute to early onset. Conditions like gout could potentially delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease in this population, suggesting a complex interplay between inflammation and age of onset.