Linda Perkins sister, Frances Dillon, has downs syndrome.
Until recently, doctors told Perkins that by the time Dillon was in her 50's, she would develop Alzheimer's.
Perkins says Frances is in her 60's now and she doesn't show any signs of Alzheimer's.
It was originally believed that all people with down syndrome not only developed the form of dementia, but their's also progressed much faster than the general population.
Dr. Frederick Schmitt and his colleagues at UK say that line of thinking is changing and says their work is to find out why.
Dr. Schmitt says because folks with down syndrome seem to develop Alzheimer's faster, researchers can conduct faster work and get a better sense of why some like Dillon are resistant to Alzheimer's.
He says their work may help better understand Alzheimer's and even potentially cure it
Perkins says this research is not lost on her. She understands what they're learning about her sister may someday help her and her family.
