Research raises hope of treating Down's syndrome babies before they are born

SOME symptoms of Down's syndrome could soon be prevented by treatment of babies while still in the womb, it was claimed last night.

Using unborn mice genetically engineered to have a similar condition, researchers found they could remove some of the developmental problems by injecting them with nerve- protecting chemicals.

Dr Charles Cantor, of the San Diego-based firm Sequenom, which is developing a non- invasive pre-natal blood-screening test for Down's, is excited at the prospect of a treatment.

He said: "I'd love to see these early screening tests lead to therapy and not just termination. It would have a big impact – especially for families that are not willing to consider abortion as an option."

Children with Down's have an extra copy of chromosome 21, while mice engineered to have a similar "trisomic" condition are given an extra copy of a segment of chromosome 16.

In both species, the development of certain motor and sensory abilities is delayed, it was reported in New Scientist.

Inhibiting the neurotransmitter GABA in trisomic mice can improve cognition and some have suggested this could be used in children. But it would be even better to treat Down's before a child is born.