[A German version of the Cambridge examination for mental disorders of older people with Down's syndrome and others with intellectual disabilities : A diagnostic procedure for detecting dementia in people with Down's syndrome].

Abstract

Although people with Down's syndrome (DS) are at ahigh risk of developing an Alzheimer type dementia (AD) due to atriplication of the amyloid precursor gene, there are practically no internationally available test procedures to detect cognitive deficits in this at risk population in the German language. The aim was to provide aGerman translation and intercultural adaptation of the Cambridge examination for mental disorders of older people with Down's syndrome and others with intellectual disabilities (CAMDEX-DS), which is available in English and Spanish. This instrument for diagnostics and monitoring consists of a psychological test examination (CAMCOG-DS) and a caregiver interview. The translation and adaptation of the CAMDEX-DS were achieved through amultistep translation process, whereby two independent forward and back translations were provided by professional translators and a consensus version was finalized and tested. The final version of the caregiver interview was applied to 11subjects and the CAMCOG-DS was conducted with 28patients. The German version of the CAMDEX-DS proved to be easily administered. The CAMCOG-DS could be fully administered to 21 out of 28patients (75%). The CAMCOG-DS values were much lower for older patients aged ≥45years than for younger patients (46/109 vs. 73.5/109; p = 0.033). The German version of the CAMDEX-DS provides an internationally recognized tool for the diagnostics and monitoring of cognitive decline in Down's syndrome. Furthermore, the German version can standardize medical care of these patients. In particular it provides ameans of participation in international research trials for this at risk population.