National RDS Runners Program Kicks Off 2012 Season

We are excited to share news about RDS Runners, which has become THE national racing program  to greatly expand public support for Down syndrome research. RDS Runners has been accepted as a charity supporting Down syndrome research in multiple events across the country. We are recruiting runners for the Georgia Marathon on March 18, and the New Orleans and Washington D.C. Marathons on March 4 and March 17, respectively. RDS Runners has also been accepted as a charity partner in the Chicago and New York Marathons being held in the fall of 2012. In 2011, our runners competed in New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Chicago. Interested runners, we invite you to Race for the Extraordinary with the RDS Runners Team. Please share this exciting news with friends and family. And, it should be noted that many of the events in 2012 include shorter distance runs, which will allow even greater participation. Follow our RDS Runners events on Facebook. In 2012, every step taken by our RDS

RDS Research Grants Announced

Research Down Syndrome has announced 2011/2012 funding for six grants to support Down syndrome cognitive research. These RDS grants assist a field of research that has seen tremendous progress in recent years, including the September 2011 announcement by Roche of a human clinical trial to investigate the safety and tolerability of a molecule designed to address the cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with Down syndrome. Private donations continue to be the major contributor to Down syndrome cognitive research. Please make a donation to support our mission of enhancing life opportunities for persons with Down syndrome through the development of safe and effective drug therapies to improve memory, learning and

Press Release: Down Syndrome Research Consortium Established

The National Institutes of Health has joined with organizations interested in Down syndrome to form a consortium that will foster the exchange of information on biomedical and biobehavioral research on the chromosomal condition.  Read full press release.

Per Dr. Yvonne Maddox, Deputy Director, NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), "A single, comprehensive forum will make the research effort to address Down syndrome more effective, minimizing duplication of effort and capitalizing on the knowledge of those with the greatest experience in the field".

RDS will participate as a consortium member. The establishment of a Contact Registry is the first order of

Roche Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Molecule to Treat Down Syndrome Cognitive Difficulties Announced

The announcement by Roche of a Phase 1 clinical trial to investigate the safety and tolerability of a molecule designed to address the cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with Down syndrome represents a landmark step in research addressing the memory, learning and communication challenges of those with Down syndrome.  Specific information regarding this trial may be found on the Roche Clinical Trial Protocol Registry. The initiation of this clinical trial provides tangible indication of progress in the rapidly advancing area of Down syndrome cognitive research that has received significant non-profit foundation support over the last several years.  Research Down Syndrome is proud to be a leading contributor to this effort.

Please help assure the continued progress of research such as this, and make a donation

NICHD announces Down syndrome consortium meeting

It is encouraging news that the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has communicated that it will lead the establishment of a Down Syndrome Consortium, which will provide a forum regarding current research on Ds and continued implementation of the NIH Research Plan on Down syndrome. The meeting will be held in Bethesda on September 29.  The consortium that will be formed will include self advocates and family members of individuals with Down syndrome, the medical/research community, foundations and other stakeholders.

Now more than ever, the NIH wants to hear your voice, and this consortium will be ready to listen.  Contact us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

NY Times Magazine article highlights Down syndrome cognitive research

Ongoing efforts in Down syndrome cognitive research are described in this article from the NY Times Sunday magazine.  The article is centered primarily on Dr. Alberto Costa and his quest to help his daughter, Tyche, and all others with Down syndrome.  Also included in the article are contributions from researchers Drs. Roger Reeves, Craig Garner, and William Mobley, and a discussion on NIH funding priorities.  The Trisomy 21 Translational Research Parity Act of 2009 was introduced to intensify efforts in research related to Down syndrome.  RDS continues to encourage its supporters to contact their congressional representatives and urge them to support this important

Lyndon LaPlante: Someone You Should Know

For two years now, Lyndon LaPlante has golfed in the RDS Golf Classic held near Dallas, Tx.  At both events, Lyndon has been a highlighted speaker at the awards dinner, and has elicited both laughter and tears as he discusses his life experiences and aspirations.  Read more about how Lyndon helps promote Down Syndrome awareness.  He is an inspiration to all of us, and a great supporter of Down syndrome cognitive

How quality of sleep impacts memory and learning in children with Down syndrome

Research under way at the University of Arizona is revealing a connection between quality of sleep and the learning and memory functions in children with Down Syndrome.
“It’s well known that children with Down Syndrome are vulnerable to developing sleep apnea which results in pauses in breathing,” UA psychology student Jennifer Breslin says. Breslin has been conducting a study looking at children with Down Syndrome and the occurrence of sleep apnea.
“If we can demonstrate that kids with poor sleep have poor cognitive outcomes, we can make a case for intervention and ultimately improving their behavior and learning ability,” she says. “If we could give these kids a better quality of life, that would be awesome.”  View this excellent video which describes this

Brain scan identifies patterns of plaques and tangles in adults with Down syndrome

Researchers have outlined the connection between Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. For instance, all persons with Down syndrome show signs of the brain pathology of Alzheimer's disease by the age of 40. Persons with Down syndrome are 3-5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, with earlier age of onset.  A recently published study from UCLA describes the development of a chemical marker called FDDNP that binds to both plaque and tangle deposits, allowing neuroimaging that provides a tool to track pathologies in Down syndrome related to Alzheimer's

Congratulations Marathoners, and Thank You, Team Flynn!

A group of amazing men and women from the Washington, D.C. area, Team Flynn, headed to San Diego and ran the San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon to support RDS and Down syndrome cognitive research.  The marathon, which took place on Sunday, June 5, started at Balboa Park and finished at Sea World.  The following day, Team Flynn limped over to an appreciation party, hosted by RDS, where they learned more about the promise of Down syndrome cognitive research.  Thank you, Erin Fry, for organizing this event, and all of Team Flynn.

If you are interested in participating in RDS Runners' events(upcoming events are the San Francisco Marathon on July 31 and Chicago Marathon, October 9), or would like to organize an RDS runners' event, contact us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)