Pregnancy creates a lifelong biological connection between mother and child. Researchers in Prof. Eitan Okun's laboratory at Bar-Ilan University are investigating whether biological signals transferred during pregnancy may influence maternal brain health years later. If you are the mother of a child with Down syndrome, your participation could help advance research into the relationship between pregnancy, Down syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease. One blood donation may help answer questions science has never been able to answer before.

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This clinical study is conducted in collaboration with leading medical centers in Israel and is designed to explore how pregnancy with a child who has Down syndrome may influence a mother's long-term brain health. We are investigating whether biological material exchanged between mother and fetus during pregnancy leaves lasting molecular and immune signatures that could be associated with maternal brain health. Participants will be asked to provide a single blood sample and complete a brief medical and family history questionnaire. ​ Using advanced genetic, immunological, and molecular analyses, we will examine whether fetal cells or DNA may persist in the mother's bloodstream decades after pregnancy.

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We are currently recruiting:

• Mothers of individuals with Down syndrome (up to age 10) 

• Women pregnant with a Down syndrome child

 

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By comparing these groups, we hope to uncover biological mechanisms that have never before been studied in humans, ultimately contributing to earlier detection, improved prevention strategies, and the development of new therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease. ​​

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Information about joining the study

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מידע על הצטרפות למחקר

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معلومات حول الانضمام إلى الدراسة

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በጥናቱ ውስጥ ስለመሳተፍ መረጃ

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אינפֿאָרמאַציע וועגן זיך אָנשליסן אין דער שטודיע​