A pioneering study published today in the journal Nature Aging has unveiled significant heterogeneity in the risk factors affecting healthy aging in Latin America and emphasized the limitations of current models of brain health, which are primarily based on data from high-income countries. The research was conducted by researchers from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), and by colleagues in Universidad Adolfo Ibanez (Chile) and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) among others. The study developed a metanalytical approach with 146,000 participants and findings emphasize how current models of brain health may not apply to the diverse populations of Latin America.
Latin America faces unique challenges in promoting healthy brain aging, including genetic admixture (shaping genetic variation and disease risk), adverse childhood experiences, socioeconomic inequities, and health disparities. Both physical and social exposomes significantly influence brain health, differing from the patterns observed in high-income countries. The study involved a comprehensive meta-analysis of multiple studies, ultimately including over 146,000 participants.
Results highlighted significant but heterogeneous effects on cognition and functional ability, with varied impacts from demographics, mental health, health status, and social determinants. This study revealed substantial variability in how risk factors impact cognition and functional ability across Latin American populations. This variabili.
