Cough Syrup Down Syndrome, Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal disorder and the leading cause of learning disabilities in children. According to the National Down Syndrome Society, one out of every 691 children born in the US is affected by Down’s and more than 400,000 people with the disorder are currently living in this country. Children with Down syndrome are born with an extra chromosome in their DNA called trisomy 21.
While there is no cure for the condition, currently the best treatments are early intervention programs to help improve cognitive skills and language ability. These, of course, are costly, and not readily available to many of the Down syndrome children around the world. But a clinical research trial is about to get underway to test a common ingredient, and if the results are positive, it could change the way Down syndrome is treated and improve quality of life for millions of people worldwide.
While there is no cure for the condition, currently the best treatments are early intervention programs to help improve cognitive skills and language ability. These, of course, are costly, and not readily available to many of the Down syndrome children around the world. But a clinical research trial is about to get underway to test a common ingredient, and if the results are positive, it could change the way Down syndrome is treated and improve quality of life for millions of people worldwide.
The ingredient, called BTD-001, was first discovered in the 1920s and has been used for decades as a respiratory stimulant in some cough syrups. But there has also been some research linking the ingredient to improved reasoning, memory and learning capabilities.
A group at Monash University in Australia is about to begin a trial working with subjects with Down syndrome between the ages of 13 and 35. In the randomized trial, subjects will be assigned to drink flavored water solutions twice a day for twelve weeks—one group with get the solution containing 50 mg of BTD-001, another, a solution containing 100 mg of BTD-001 and the third group will get a placebo. After the 12 weeks, subjects will be tested to assess cognitive and language abilities.
“Although it’s too soon to draw any conclusions, we’re hopeful this trial and the continued development of the drug could lead to a product that can improve the cognitive abilities, and ultimately the quality of life of people with Down syndrome,” said Bob Davis, associate professor at Monash University and principal investigator of the study.
Stay tuned for the potentially good news once the trial is completed.
Source:healthyliving.msn
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