Mapping epilepsy in Down syndrome

Seven international cohorts examined epilepsy incidence, cognitive trajectories, and survival in adults with Down syndrome.

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Epilepsy prevalence among adults with Down syndrome increases with age, particularly due to symptomatic Alzheimer's disease.
2

The study included 4,804 adults with Down syndrome from 7 clinical cohorts across Spain, Germany, Ireland, and France.
3

Active epilepsy was identified in 15% of patients, with prevalence rising from 39 per 1,000 in ages 18-24 to 390 per 1,000 in those aged 60 and older.
4

Cumulative incidence of late-onset myoclonic epilepsy in Down syndrome increased from 10% at Alzheimer's diagnosis to 57% nine years later.
5

Cognitive decline accelerated significantly after seizure onset, with rates of deterioration roughly twice those seen in symptomatic Alzheimer's without epilepsy.

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