Association between risk factor profiles for dementia and cognitive performance in the Brazilian population

• Grant number: 23/17944-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2024
• End date: March 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Natalia Gomes Gonçalves
• Grantee: Larissa Lima Silva Pires Fischer
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, around 50 million people live with dementia, which is projected to increase to 130 million by 2050. This increase will be more pronounced in low-and-middle income countries, including Brazil, where the prevalence of dementia could rise from 58% in 2015 to 68% by 2050. Given the lack of an effective treatment, prevention stands out as the most effective approach. Estimates suggest that 40% of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by controlling 12 risk factors, such as education, hearing loss, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, alcohol consumption, brain injuries, physical inactivity, depression, smoking, social isolation, and exposure to air pollution. In Brazil, managing these factors could prevent up to 48% of dementia cases. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the association between profiles of risk factors for dementia and cognitive performance. In order to assess this relationship, we will use a sample derived from the second wave of The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brasil) comprising 9,949 participants aged 50 years or older, of both sexes, and residing in the five regions of Brazil. We will group the participants into dementia risk groups and evaluate the association between these different risk groups and cognitive performance using linear regression, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical factors. The results of this study will be crucial for formulating public policies aimed at preventing cognitive deficits in the Brazilian population.