[tri-med] Re: new drug study

I've heard about this, but my big question is, could this be used for kids 
with other chromosome disorders as well?

Kim Ihlenfeldt, husband Kerry (complex balanced translocation 9, 15, and 18 
chromosomes), son Cameron 8 (same genetics as Dad), Cayden T-18 (12-16-02 to 
01-16-03), and Candace 1 (Partial Trisomy 18 and Partial Trisomy 15)



>From: "Jude Wolpert" <jfwolpert2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: tri-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: "tri-med-freelists" <tri-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [tri-med] new drug study
>Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:10:04 -0600
>
>DENVER - Medical researchers in Colorado say it is promising. They have
>uncovered clues that could help reverse the learning deficits associated
>with Down syndrome.
>
>
>The work has been done at the University of Colorado at Denver Health
>Sciences Center. The results have the potential to help the 350,000 people
>in the United States who have Down syndrome.
>
>One in every 733 children is born with it and the numbers are growing
>everyday.
>
>Sophia Whitten, 4, is a joyful, energetic and beautiful little girl. Sophia
>also has Down syndrome.
>
>Her mom, Michelle Sie Whitten, said most people underestimate people with
>Down syndrome.
>
>"People have no idea what our kids are capable of. There are people with
>Down syndrome driving and getting married. Twenty years ago they were
>institutionalized and had a life span of 28 years old," said Whitten.
>
>Whitten says much more progress is needed. She says medical research is
>critical to address other obstacles.
>
>"In terms of learning it does take longer and there are more challenges in
>terms of math in particular," she said.
>
>That is where the new findings could really be significant. The research
>tested the effectiveness of memantine. It is an FDA-approved drug already
>being used to treat patients with Alzheimer's disease.
>
>Forty mice with an animal model of Down syndrome were given the drug for 
>two
>years. They were found to have better memory retention and showed increased
>learning.
>
>The lead author of the study was Alberto Costa, MD, PhD, and associate
>professor of medicine and neuroscience at the CU-Denver School of Medicine.
>
>"It is exciting. It is a glimmer of hope that it is something that will be
>able to help children with Down syndrome," he said.
>
>It is something that is very close to Costa's heart. His 12-year-old
>daughter has Down syndrome.
>
>"The hope here basically now is that we can translate what we found to be
>true in the lab into human research now. While it is hard to predict, I
>think it is very realistic to think (it would translate to humans) because
>those mice have the same sort of biological underlying problems as people
>with Down syndrome," said Costa.
>
>There are 93 conditions that the federal government provides research money
>for. Of those, Down syndrome ranks 93rd.
>
>Colorado researchers say financial support from local foundations keeps 
>them
>going.
>
>Whitten runs one of those important local non-profit groups. It is the Anna
>and John J. Sie Foundation. Last year, it gave $1 million for Down syndrome
>research; including Costa's research.
>
>"I think Alberto's work is a first big step towards some significant
>breakthrough," said Costa.
>
>Costa says the next step is testing to see if the drug has the same effect
>on humans as it did on the mice. He hopes to start a clinical trail in
>Denver. There is no specific timeline set for that trial to start but he
>hopes to get approval sometime in the next two months.
>
>*****
>just another kind of trisomy...
>jude, mom to derek-21, kelsey-19
>and kameron-10-full t18 (hanging out so i will never be an empty nester)
>golden, colorado usa
>http://www.judewolpert.com
>http://home.comcast.net/~jfwolpert2
>http://flickr.com/photos/judewolpert/
>
>                   Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
>                        www.trisomyonline.org
>                   Families Helping Families On-line
>

_________________________________________________________________
A new home for Mom, no cleanup required. All starts here. 
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                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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