--- title: "Scientists Say New Treatment May Improve Cognition for People With Down Syndrome" description: "According to new research, there may be ways to improve or even reverse disabilities associated with Down syndrome with the use of a new hormone treatment." date: "2022-09-03" modified: "2022-09-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/scientists-treatment-improve-congition-down-syndrome" categories: - "Gene Editing" - "Genetics" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "down syndrome" - "RNA" --- # Scientists Say New Treatment May Improve Cognition for People With Down Syndrome ![According to new research, there may be ways to improve or even reverse disabilities associated with Down syndrome with the use of a new hormone treatment.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* Down syndrome, the world's most common chromosomal diagnosis, affects about [one in every 700 babies]() born in the US. It's caused by having three copies of chromosome 21, rather than two, resulting in a range of impairments, most notably serious cognitive problems. But according to [new research]() published in the journal *Science* this week, there may be ways to improve or even reverse some of those symptoms with a new hormone treatment. In fact, the same treatment could even prove to be effective against Alzheimer's — though it remains far too early to draw any definitive conclusions. Specifically, scientists are investigating whether the regulation of the release of the hormone called GnRH, which releases a chemical called gonadotropin, could hold promise. GnRH neurons control vital bodily functions including blood pressure and hunger deep inside the brain, [*Scientific American* reports](). As laid out in [previous research](), scientists have discovered that molecules called microRNAs regulate the release of GnRH. In a pilot experiment involving mice with three copies of chromosome 21, a team led by neuroscientist Vincent Prevot of the University of Lille in France found that increasing the levels of GnRH using microRNAs was able to reverse the effects Down syndrome had on the animals' olfactory senses and other cognitive deficits. Of course, an animal study doesn't prove anything for humans. But a followup experiment involving seven men with Down syndrome who received GnRH from a pump under their skin showed hopeful results as well. "Six out of seven patients improved their cognitive tests by 20 to 30 percent," Prevot told *Scientific American*. "Even more amazing, we saw that functional connectivity was tremendously increased in all seven in cortical areas involved in speech and 3D orientation," Prevot added, noting that the men experienced improvements in verbal comprehension and temporary memory and attention. Their sense of smell, however, was not improved. "This work reveals new players, such as microRNAs, that may play a role in Down syndrome neuropathology," neurobiologist Mara Dierssen of the Center for Genomic Regulation in Spain, who was not involved in the research, told *Scientific American*. Seven subjects, of course, is a small sample size. And other experts warn that until further research is conducted, we should take the results with a grain of salt. "The human experiment is very preliminary and lacks controls," geneticist Stylianos Antonarakis of the University of Geneva, who was not involved, told the magazine. Then there's the fact they didn't test the same technique on women. Prevot is now planning a follow-up clinical trial later this year that will involve 70 male and female patients across several institutions. "If GnRH therapy improves cognition in this large cohort of Down syndrome patients, many possibilities are open," he told *Scientific American*. A **separate** study studying the effects of a similar molecule to GnRH for treating Alzheimer's is already underway. **READ MORE:** [A Hormone May Boost Cognition in Down Syndrome]() \[*Scientific American*\] **More on Down syndrome:** *[Scientists Reverse Cognitive Deficits of Down Syndrome in Mice]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()