What question did this study set out to answer?

To review four decades of research evaluating diagnostic, medical, and sociocultural approaches for preventing mental retardation.

January 1, 1998Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews

Prevention of mental retardation: Four decades of research

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

DADuane AlexanderNational Institutes of Health

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Review reveals modest reductions in mental retardation prevalence through targeted screening and preventive interventions, highlighting emerging roles for early fetal and gene therapies.

Key Points

To review four decades of research evaluating diagnostic, medical, and sociocultural approaches for preventing mental retardation.
Synthesized historical and clinical literature spanning 40 years on prevention, early detection, and etiology of mental retardation.
Assessed biomedical strategies including prenatal diagnosis, newborn screening, dietary modifications, hormone replacement, vaccination, and immunotherapy alongside early sociocultural interventions.
Preventive interventions slightly reduced overall mental retardation prevalence while nearly eliminating several specific underlying causes.
Research frontiers identified for future preventive efficacy include neurobiology, earlier prenatal diagnosis, fetal therapy, gene therapy, and strategies targeting premature birth.

Cite This Study

Duane Alexander (1998) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a84989520d7d47bbaf79643 https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1098-2779(1998)4:1<50::aid-mrdd8>3.0.co;2-0

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Implication

Review reveals modest reductions in mental retardation prevalence through targeted screening and preventive interventions, highlighting emerging roles for early fetal and gene therapies.

Prevention of mental retardation: Four decades of research

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Prevention of mental retardation: Four decades of research

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider