Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is a well-known cause of mental retardation. It can be diagnosed in early pregnancy. Scientists have made great strides in outlining the pathophysiologic mechanisms of mental retardation in Down syndrome. Much less has been published on human therapy. To our knowledge, these are the first published cases of fetal therapy for Down syndrome.
METHODOLOGY: Reports of three cases. In all cases, treatment was both biochemical (e.g. nutritional) and educational. In all cases, treatment was both before and after birth.
Results
All children lacked the characteristic faces usually seen in the children with Down syndrome. This suggests a treatment effect before birth. All children had better than expected development.
Discussion
Enhancement of development is proposed as a new therapeutic principle. Developing neurons exchange neurotrophic factors during development when they give or receive stimulation from other neurons. Neurons which receive neurotrophic stimulation survive, and those, which do not, are lost to apoptosis. The developmental therapeutic principle seeks to optimize brain development. Biochemical inputs (neurotransmitters, drugs, hormones, nutrients) and functional stimulation are integrated to optimize the growth and survival of neurons individually; other cells; subcellular organelles; and the brain as a whole. Treatment may be before and after birth, both biochemical and functional. These principles may be applied to Down syndrome, other conditions, and normal fetuses or children.
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED: Baggot PJ and Baggot RM (2014). Fetal Therapy for Down Syndrome: Report of three cases and review of the literature. J Am Phys Surg 19(1):20-24.
fetal therapy Down syndrome trisomy 21 case report, Baggot prenatal treatment Down syndrome nutritional biochemical, in utero intervention trisomy 21 neurodevelopment, Down syndrome prenatal postnatal developmental enhancement, neurotrophic factors fetal brain development trisomy 21, nutritional supplementation Down syndrome fetal therapy, apoptosis neuronal survival developmental therapeutic principle, prenatal intervention intellectual disability Down syndrome, educational stimulation neurodevelopment Down syndrome infants, biochemical fetal treatment mental retardation case series
Cite this article
Baggot, P. J., & Baggot, R. M. (2017). Fetal Therapy for Down Syndrome: Report of Three Cases and a Review of the Literature. Issues in law & medicine, 32(1), 31-41.
Baggot PJ, Baggot RM. Fetal Therapy for Down Syndrome: Report of Three Cases and a Review of the Literature. Issues Law Med. 2017;32(1):31-41.
Baggot, Patrick James, and Rocel Medina Baggot. "Fetal Therapy for Down Syndrome: Report of Three Cases and a Review of the Literature." Issues in law & medicine, vol. 32, no. 1, 2017, pp. 31-41.
Keywords
Down Syndrome/therapy, Female, Fetal Therapies, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Pregnancy, Trisomy
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