Alzheimers Dement
July 2024
Introduction: While Latin America (LatAm) is facing an increasing burden of dementia due to the rapid aging of the population, it remains underrepresented in dementia research, diagnostics, and care.
Methods: In 2023, the Alzheimer's Association hosted its eighth satellite symposium in Mexico, highlighting emerging dementia research, priorities, and challenges within LatAm.
Results: Significant initiatives in the region, including intracountry support, showcased their efforts in fostering national and international collaborations; genetic studies unveiled the unique genetic admixture in LatAm; researchers conducting emerging clinical trials discussed ongoing culturally specific interventions; and the urgent need to harmonize practices and studies, improve diagnosis and care, and use affordable biomarkers in the region was highlighted.
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly and occurs in all ethnic and racial groups. The apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 is the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset AD and shows the strongest effect among East Asian populations followed by non-Hispanic white populations and has a relatively lower effect in African descent populations. Admixture analysis in the African American and Puerto Rican populations showed that the variation in ε4 risk is correlated with the genetic ancestral background local to the ApoE gene.
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