University of Southern California Jun 19 2025 Scientists at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology have discovered a key connection between high levels of iron in the brain and increased cell damage in people who have both Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. In the study, researchers found that the brains of people diagnosed with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease (DSAD) had twice as much iron and more signs of oxidative damage in cell membranes compared to the brains of individuals