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INTRODUCTION Global life expectancy has steadily increased in recent decades, resulting in a significant rise in the number of individuals aged 80 years and older. This trend is also evident in Latin America, where life expectancy is improving, though at varying rates across countries and regions. METHODS Partnering with the Neurosciences Group of Antioquia (GNA), we launched a Colombian study on resilience in families with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease and the oldest‐old population. Over the past 2 years, the project has expanded to include participants from Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica. RESULTS This research led to the first symposium on Brain Resilience and Healthy Longevity, held in Medellín, Colombia, in August 2024. DISCUSSION The article summarizes key discussions from the symposium, highlighting the most promising opportunities for brain resilience and prevention research in the region and offering recommendations for future research to promote healthy aging and dementia‐free communities. Highlights Uncovering the genetic and physiological drivers of cognitive resilience, neurodegeneration resistance, and healthy longevity is essential for maintaining brain function as we age. “Superagers” and cognitively resilient individuals from Latin American families with Alzheimer's disease offer valuable insights into brain protection mechanisms. Studying the interplay of socio‐environmental and genetic factors in the oldest‐old is key to understanding healthy longevity and improving dementia prevention. The inaugural Brain Resilience and Healthy Longevity Symposium highlights the need for global collaboration to uncover factors that drive cognitive resilience and healthy aging in Latin America, advancing dementia prevention.

Background With this study, we aim to determine the associations of the different categories of the body mass index (BMI) with activities of daily living (ADL) and cognitive performance in two different populations living in the community; Colombian and South Korean older adults. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of two surveys separately; The Survey on Health, Well-Being, and Aging in Colombia (SABE) ( n  = 23,343) and the Korean Longitudinal Study of aging (KLoSA) ( n  = 4556). Participants older than 50 years were selected from rural and urban areas achieving a representative sample. Here we investigated the association between BMI categories with function using zero-inflated negative binomial regressions, and with cognition using logistic regression models. Results After adjustment, in Colombia, underweight was associated with an impaired score on the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and worse performance in the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Also, being overweight was associated with a better score on the MMSE and the IADL. For both outcomes education level significantly influenced the predictions. In South Korea, there were no significant associations for cognition, IADL, or basic activities of daily living (BADL). Conclusions In the Colombian population, underweight, was associated with reduced cognitive performance and daily functioning. Additionally, being overweight but not obese was associated with better cognition and daily functioning. In South Korea, there were no significant associations between BMI and cognition, IADL, or BADL.

Purpose Describe the self-reported prevalence of glaucoma in Colombian older adults, emphasizing the most important risk factors and associated daily-life functional alterations. Methods This a secondary analysis of the Health, Wellness, and Aging survey conducted in the year 2015. Diagnosis of glaucoma was obtained from self-report. Functional variables were assessed through activities of daily living questionnaires. A descriptive analysis followed by bivariate and multivariate regression models adjusting for confounding variables was conducted. Results Self-reported prevalence of glaucoma was 5.67%, with higher rate in women, OR 1.22 (1.13–1.40) p  = .003, older age OR 1.02 (1.01–1.02) p  < .001, and with higher education OR 1.38 (1.28–1.50) p  < .001. Glaucoma was independently associated with diabetes OR 1.37 (1.18–1.61) p   < .001 and hypertension 1.26 (1.08–1.46) p  = .003. It also showed statistically significant correlations with poor SRH OR 1.15 (1.02–1.32) p  < .001, self-reported visual impairment 1.73 (1.50–2.01) p  < .001, and impairment in money management OR 1.59 (1.16–2.08) p   = .002, grocery shopping OR 1.57 (1.26–1.96) p  < .001 and preparing meals OR 1.31 (1.06–1.63) p  = .013 and having had falls during the last year OR 1.14 (1.01–1.31) p  = 0.041. Conclusion Our findings suggest the self-reported prevalence of glaucoma in older adults in Colombia to be higher than reported data. Glaucoma and visual impairment in older adults represent a public health concern, since glaucoma was associated with adverse outcomes like functional loss and risk of falling, affecting the quality of life and their participation in society.

BackgroundNeuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are often overlooked and under-identified symptoms associated with dementia, despite their significant impact on the prognosis of individuals living with the disease. The specific role of certain NPS in functional prognosis remains unclear.AimsTo determine the association of different NPS with functional decline in people living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Lewy body dementia (LBD).MethodsThis is an analysis of data from the Dementia Study of Western Norway (DemVest) with 196 patients included of which 111 had AD and 85 LBD. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and the Rapid Disability Rating Scale (RDRS-2) for activities of daily living were administered annually for 5 years. NPI total score and individual items with RDRS-2 trajectories were analyzed with linear mixed models.ResultsThe LBD group exhibited higher levels of functional impairment and a greater burden of NPS at baseline. Over the 5-year follow-up, hallucinations, aggression, depression, anxiety, apathy, disinhibition, aberrant motor behavior, nighttime behavior disturbances, and abnormal eating patterns were significantly associated with the decline in functional abilities in individuals with AD, as well as irritability and aberrant motor behavior in those with LBD.DiscussionThese results highlight the relevance of early detection and intervention of these particularly relevant NPS, due to its potential of also impacting physical function. Better detection and management of these NPS could improve functional prognosis in people living with dementia.ConclusionSpecific NPS demonstrate relevant distinct associations with Longitudinal trajectories of functional decline in AD and LBD.

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is traditionally defined by motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremors. However, non-motor symptoms (NMS) are now recognized as central contributors to disability, often preceding motor onset and remaining underdiagnosed. Materials and methods: This narrative review is based on a focused literature analysis of non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, including neuropsychiatric, cognitive, sensory, sleep, and autonomic domains. Articles were selected for clinical relevance and pathophysiological insights. Results: The reviewed literature indicates that non-motor symptoms are highly prevalent and significantly impact quality of life in Parkinson’s disease. These symptoms often correlate with disease progression and motor fluctuations. Various management strategies have been described, although underdiagnosis remains common due to limited screening in routine clinical practice. Conclusions: Early identification and targeted treatment of non-motor symptoms are critical for optimizing clinical outcomes, improving patient quality of life, and reducing healthcare burdens. Comprehensive clinical assessments and the integration of multidisciplinary care models are essential to meet the complex needs of patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Pathogenic progranulin (GRN) variants are among the main genetic causes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). These variants have been predominantly reported in European cohorts, but their characterization in Latin America remains scarce. We describe two Colombian cases with novel GRN variants with amnestic and semantic syndromes leading to an initial diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We conducted clinical, neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and genetic analysis. Biomarkers were included for one case. At 42 years old, Case 1 presented a predominant amnestic profile and carried the GRN c.21G > A (p.Trp7*) variant. Case 2 debuted with a semantic impairment at 62 years old and was a carrier of GRN c.1098T > A (p.Cys366*) variant. Brain imaging revealed asymmetric temporal atrophy, and biomarkers supported diagnosis of FTLD. GRN variants can mimic early-onset AD. An integrative approach including serial clinical, genetic, brain imaging, and biomarker analysis are essential for diagnosing Amnestic variants of FTLD in admixed genetic populations.

The proportion of the world’s older adults and of its dementia cases is increasing in low and middle-income countries. This is particularly true in Colombia. There, the number of individuals with dementia may increase five-fold by 2050. Yet research is lacking on dementia in such settings. This work estimates the prevalence of dementia in a community-dwelling population in Colombia. It also assesses how gender-based differences in cardiovascular conditions and socioeconomic disparities affect dementia. This work analyzes data on 2000 respondents at least 60 years of age in the Health, Well-Being, And Aging (SABE) study in Bogota. Respondents with dementia are those who have cognitive impairment and at least two limitations in instrumental activities of daily living. The SABE study finds 8.4% of respondents have dementia. Age, cardiovascular risks, and socioeconomic disparities contributed to higher odds of dementia. The contributors to dementia can differ for men and women. For example, socioeconomic disparities were a larger contributor to dementia for women than men. The findings support the cognitive reserve hypothesis on dementia. This holds that pre-existing cognitive processes and compensatory mechanisms influence dementia. Women in Latin America are more likely to suffer from socioeconomic disparities that limit their cognitive reserve. This research points to several policy implications that can help offset these disparities and reduce the prevalence of dementia.

OBJETIVO: Describir y analizar las características clínicas, funcionales, nutricionales y sociales de pacientes con demencia avanzada (DA), hospitalizados a cargo del servicio de geriatría del Hospital Universitario San Ignacio (HUSI) y su relación con desenlaces hospitalarios, comparando con demencia no avanzada. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo en pacientes ancianos hospitalizados por el servicio de geriatría del HUSI, con revisión retrospectiva de historias clínicas en el perioro de tiempo entre enero del 2016 y diciembre del 2017. La variable dependiente fue DA. Se realizó análisis univariado, bivariado y multivariado. RESULTADOS: De 1091 pacientes con demencia, 606 tenían diagnóstico de DA. La mediana de edad fue de 86 años y la prevalencia de mujeres fue mayor (57,3 %). En los sujetos con DA, comparados con el grupo de demencia, se encontró mayor porcentaje de malnutrición (91,1 %), úlceras por presión (26,2 %), delirium (67,2 %%), polifarmacia (68,3 %%), estancia hospitalaria (5 días), complicaciones (10,6 %%) y mortalidad (16,9 %%). Se encontró una mayor asociación de malnutrición con DA (OR = 2,80, IC = 1,94-4,06, p < 0,00), así mismo con polifarmacia (OR = 1,41, IC = 1,07-1,86, p = 0,012), delirium (OR = 2,24, IC = 1,72-2,92, p < 0,00), úlceras por presión (OR = 3,75, IC = 2,45-5,73, p < 0,00) y mortalidad (OR = 2,21, IC = 1,42-3,44, p < 0,00). DISCUSIÓN: La avanzada edad de nuestros pacientes puede ser determinante en el alto porcentaje de demencia encontrada. La DA condiciona a mayor compromiso en el curso de diferentes desenlaces hospitalarios como malnutrición, polifarmacia, delirium, úlceras y mortalidad. Lo anterior hace necesaria una valoración geriátrica integral del paciente anciano con demencia para mejorar el curso clínico de la hospitalización.

Colombia hosts the largest Autosomal-Dominant Alzheimer's Disease (ADAD) kindred caused by the PSEN1-E280A genetic variant, with full penetrance. This ADAD is well-characterized in terms of clinical and biomarker research, but Electroencephalography (EEG) as a biomarker is still under development. EEG facilitates understanding brain function and electrophysiological changes in ADAD. Dual-task (DT) paradigms, particularly during gait and upper extremity function, are useful biomarkers to determine cognitive impairments, due to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. EEG and DT are non-invasive, portable, and feasible in outpatient settings, making them highly accessible for clinical practice. The study sample includes two groups, asymptomatic carriers (n = 37) and non-carriers (n = 42) of the PSEN1-E280A variant. EEG data were recorded during a dual-task paradigm involving two tasks. The first task was a motor task (single-task) involving upper extremity flexion-extension. The second was a motor-cognitive task (dual-task), which included subtraction by 7 (DTS7), by 1 (DTS1) or verbal fluency with animals (DTAN). EEG signals were collected using the OpenBCI system from frontal and central regions. Data were processed and spectral and neural dynamics features were extracted. Dual-task cost (DTC) was calculated as the difference between metric values under dual-task and single-task conditions, computed across channels and frequency bands for each feature. The extracted metrics were statistically analyzed using Cohen's-D effect size and Mann-Whitney U-tests to assess differences. The most notable effect sizes were observed in entropy for Beta1 and Beta3 bands in frontal regions for the DTS7 and DTS1 tasks, Beta2 relative power in C4 during DTAN, Theta modulation in the Theta and alpha-1 bands in frontal regions during DTS7, and Alpha2 modulations in the same task. The proposed experiment effectively extracted brain information that differentiates between carriers and non-carriers of the PSEN1-E280A variant. DTC values in the alpha band (frontal and central regions) and the beta band (central regions) exhibited larger effect sizes, suggesting that these areas are sensitive to preclinical cognitive and motor differences. The experimental paradigm and data-processing pipeline ensured the acquisition of EEG data with meaningful neurological information. This combination of novel biomarkers enhances non-invasive and portable tools for identifying ADAD carriers during preclinical stages.