Role of Nerve Growth Factor and Amyloid Precursor Protein in Neurocognition in Children with Down's Syndrome

Abstract

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21; it is the most common cause of mental retardation and occurs in one out of every 691 live births. The vast majority (95%) of DS cases are the result of complete trisomy of chromosome 21, 3-4% of cases are due to partial trisomy or translocation, and the remaining 1% of cases present with mosaicism . Down syndrome is associated with a delay in cognitive ability and physical growth, and a particular set of facial characteristics.