Group of Colombian Scientists Took Part in Continental Alzheimer’s Study
The Neuroscience Group of Antioquia (GNA), affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Antioquia (UDEA), is the only Colombian institution that participated in the first non-pharmacological clinical trial conducted in Latin America, which concluded that lifestyle changes can improve cognitive performance by as much as 55% in older adults at risk of developing dementia.
The study was funded by the Alzheimer‘s Association and carried out as part of the Latam Fingers initiative, which includes research teams from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. A total of 1,065 participants between the ages of 60 and 77 were enrolled, of whom 82.3% completed the two-year follow-up required by the study.
The research findings were announced on Monday, July 13, during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference held in London, and published simultaneously in the scientific journal The Lancet. The GNA participated in the project by monitoring and evaluating 100 residents of the municipality of Sabaneta and the Medellin metropolitan district.
Study of older adults at risk of cognitive decline
In each country, researchers divided the participants into two groups of equal size. One group received a systematic intervention, with continuous support from healthcare professionals. The other participants formed the control group, who were given healthy lifestyle recommendations and attended quarterly informational meetings, but did not receive daily follow-up or strict supervision from specialists, UDEA reported in a statement.
“The study population consisted of older adults at risk of cognitive decline, but who were cognitively healthy at the time of enrollment,” said Dr. David Aguillon Niño, coordinator of the GNA, as quoted in the statement. “Specifically, sedentary individuals with risk factors such as overweight, diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol were included.”
The researcher explained that, to verify compliance with these inclusion criteria, participants underwent a medical evaluation, a neuropsychological assessment, laboratory tests and electrocardiograms.
The systematic intervention group attended four supervised physical activity sessions each week, cognitive stimulation sessions led by a neuropsychologist using a specialized cognitive training application called BrainHQ on a tablet, and received guidance from a nutritionist to implement a culturally adapted diet according to each country.
Additionally, these participants took part in cultural and social activities with other members of the project. Over the course of two years, this group underwent semiannual follow-up that included cognitive, medical and laboratory evaluations, as well as electrocardiograms to monitor the safety, progress and effectiveness of the interventions.
Non-pharmacological intervention has a real effect
The control group, meanwhile, received a flexible intervention through quarterly meetings, during which they were given guidance and strategies on healthy lifestyle habits, nutrition, physical activity and cognitive stimulation at home, but without continuous follow-up.
When the two groups were compared, researchers observed a 55% difference in the decline of neuropsychological test results, showing that the systematic intervention group experienced significantly less progression toward cognitive decline than those who only received recommendations.
Aguillon Niño emphasized that, in addition to proving that non-pharmacological intervention has a real effect on preventing dementia, “it also demonstrated that Latin America, Colombia and the Neuroscience Group of Antioquia have the operational capacity to conduct this type of high-quality scientific research.”
“Being able to delay the progression of cognitive decline by that percentage is highly significant; if we then combine this with other types of interventions, whether pharmacological or not, the result will be extremely satisfactory. We have spent many years talking about modifiable risk factors, but having evidence in our own country that this truly works and has an impact is highly significant,” the GNA researcher added.