Adults with Down syndrome (DS) represent an important model of Alzheimer disease in the absence of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) risk factors like atheroma and hypertension. In this study we used pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) in aging adults with DS and age-matched controls. In adults with DS there is a 31% reduction in CBF after the age of 54 (<54= 46.7mL/100g/min, >54= 32.3mL/100g/min, p=0.011). Despite their CVD protective phenotype, adults with DS do develop vascular dysfunction, however the onset is concurrent with dementia rather than preceding it.
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