Scientists at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology have found that people with both Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease (DSAD) have twice as much iron in their brains and more cell damage compared to those with Alzheimer’s alone.
This could help explain why Alzheimer’s symptoms appear earlier and more severely in individuals with Down syndrome.
The extra copy of chromosome 21 in Down syndrome carries the gene for amyloid precursor protein (APP), leading to higher amyloid-beta (Aβ) production — a key feature of Alzheimer’s. By age 60, about half of all people with Down syndrome show signs of Alzheimer’s.
Researchers studied brain tissue and found three key differences in DSAD brains: Iron levels in the prefrontal cortex were double. There was more damage to fatty membranes in brain cells. The antioxidant defenses were weaker.
These findings suggest a type of iron-driven cell death called ferroptosis may be involved. In particular, damage was worse in “lipid rafts” — special parts of the cell membrane where APP is processed.
Rare cases of mosaic or partial Down syndrome, which involve fewer extra copies of chromosome 21, had less brain damage and longer lifespans. This supports the idea that higher APP and iron levels speed up the disease.
Future treatments might involve medications that remove excess iron or boost the brain’s antioxidant systems.
“Medications that remove iron from the brain or help strengthen antioxidant systems might offer new hope,” said study author Max Thorwald.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about the protective power of dietary antioxidants against Alzheimer’s, and eating habits linked to higher Alzheimer’s risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms, and Vitamin E may help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
