| US scientists recently discovered an old
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| | personal and community level. A drug
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| discontinued drug that reduces the mental
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| | that allows people to learn better and
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| retardation in mice with a certain form
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| | function independently in society will be
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| of Down syndrome, according to a study
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| | a miracle in many lives..
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| published in the journal of Nature
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| | Statistically, one in 800 children born
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| Neuroscience.
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| | in the world have Down syndrome. Down
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| Professor of Psychiatry and Director of
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| | syndrome does not prejudice across ethnic
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| the Down Syndrome Research Centre at
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| | or socioeconomic groups. However, babies
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| Stanford University in California, Craig
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| | born to older mothers have an increased
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| Garner, led the research. His team
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| | risk of Down syndrome. The ratio
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| experimented with Ts65Dn mice bred as
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| | increases from one in 1,000 in the
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| model test specimens for Down syndrome.
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| | mother's twenties, to one in 11 when the
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| Ts65Dn mice have increased inhibition of
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| | mother reaches 49 years old.
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| the dentate gyrus, the part of the brain
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| | Garner and his team claim that
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| near the hippocampus that is associated
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| | over-inhibition of neuronal excitation
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| with learning and memory.
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| | contributes to the intellectual
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| The mice were given a discontinued drug
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| | disability that is commonly associated
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| that was originally used for epilepsy in
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| | with Down syndrome.
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| humans, called pentylenetetrazole or PTZ,
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| | They believe that GABAA could treat the
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| a GABAA antagonist.
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| | disorder.
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| Results were positive. The mice's
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| | Applying this knowledge to humans is not
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| ability to explore, learn and remember
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| | simple. Large doses of this drug causes
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| things improved. Their ability to
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| | epileptic seizures. This is why The Food
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| explore a T-shaped maze improved. In the
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| | and Drug Administration withdrew approval
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| beginning, they followed random patterns.
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| | for its use in the 1980s.
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| After only 17 days they were exploring
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| | The research is positive, but people are
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| like normal mice.
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| | warned to remember that many drugs which
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| The improvements continued for two months
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| | improve learning and cognitive
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| after the drug therapy ended.
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| | functioning in mice have not worked as
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| The drug controls the ability of neurons
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| | well in humans.
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| to make connections with each other, a
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| | "Pharmacotherapy for cognitive impairment
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| process that is necessary to learning and
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| | in a mouse model of Down syndrome."
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| memory.
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| | Nature Neuroscience Published online: 25
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| People with Down syndrome or "trisomy 21"
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| | February 2007
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| have an extra complete or partial copy of
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| | However, people who are struggling to
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| chromosome 21, whereas most people have
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| | create a life for those who suffer from
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| two. It is evident at birth and is
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| | Down Syndrome are not quick to turn their
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| associated by facial and body structure
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| | back on any possible treatment. Even if
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| alterations. Symptoms include impairment
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| | this drug can improve patients ability to
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| of physical and cognitive development,
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| | learn how to live independently,
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| including heart problems.
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| | slightly, it is worth extending the
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| This is a problem many parents face with
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| | studies and learning more about the
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| their children. The cost associated with
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| | treatments available to patients.
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| down syndrome is prohibitive at both the
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