The Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down’s Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities (CAMDEX-DS)

Abstract

The Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down’s Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities (CAMDEX-DS) is a diagnostic assessment schedule developed in response to an identified need for valid and reliable methods for the assessment and diagnosis of dementia in people with intellectual disability (ID). While the increased risk of dementia in people with Down syndrome (DS) in particular means that the schedule is especially valuable for use in this population, it can also been used when dementia is suspected in those with developmentally acquired ID for reasons other than that of DS. Accurate and consistent diagnosis is essential for both clinical practice and research and will be increasingly important as effective treatments for dementia become available.