Researchers have found that defects in the brain’s white matter could be a major cause of degraded brain development in patients born with Down syndrome.
 
The Korea Health Industry Development Institute said on Monday that Professor Kang Hyo-jung from Chung-Ang University and researchers from Yale University proved the association for the first time after joint research.
 
Scientists have suggested that white matter in the brain is associated with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities, but it is the first time that details of the mechanism have been identified.
 
Kang said that the findings will contribute to future research on intellectual disabilities and may lead to possible therapies.
 
The findings appeared in the February 25th edition of the science journal Neuron.