Premature aging in persons with Down syndrome: MR findings.

PURPOSE To determine whether persons with Down syndrome have features of premature aging on routine MR imaging sequences. METHODS Sixty MR studies (in 30 persons with Down syndrome and 30 age- and sex-matched control subjects) were reviewed retrospectively by two blinded examiners. Sagittal T1-weighted and axial T2-weighted spin-echo images were evaluated for the presence and severity of three markers of brain aging: atrophy, white matter lesions, and T2 hypointensity of the basal ganglia, referenced to the examiner's internal standard of normal for that age and sex. RESULTS Persons with Down syndrome had higher prevalence and severity of the three markers studied than the control subjects. Atrophy and white matter lesions increased in prevalence with age; abnormal T2 hypointensity of the basal ganglia was more equally distributed with age. CONCLUSION Persons with Down syndrome have features of premature aging detectable at routine MR imaging.