Data set from Perry et al. regarding the anterior thalamus from older patients with Down's Syndrome
Description
The anterior thalamic nuclei are important for spatial and episodic memory, however, there is surprisingly little information about how these nuclei are affected in many conditions that present with memory impairments, including Down’s Syndrome. To assess the status of the anterior thalamic nuclei in Down’s Syndrome we quantified neurons and glial cells in the brains from four older patients with this condition using unbiased stereology. The data set provided here show a substantial reduction in volume, neurons, and glial cells of the anterior thalamus in an older patient group with Down's Syndrome. This data set shows that the anterior thalamus is particualrly sensitive to the effects of aging in Down's Syndrome and highlights the importance of looking beyond the medial temporal lobe when assessing conditions that present with memory impairments.