Environmental-genetic interactions in ageing and dementia across Latin America

Abstract

Current dementia research has developed complex models of environmental-genetic interactions to better address the multimodal disease phenotypes. New evidence highlights a stronger impact of social determinants of health than ancestry effects specific to Latin America, opening new agendas to address the multimodal diversity of environmental-genetics interactions in aging and dementia.

Figure 1.. Outline of a research agenda for aging and dementia in Latin America.

The schema illustrates the integration of environmental and genetic factors to address the multimodal diversity of dementia. a. Environmental factors include physical exposomes like pollution and nanoplastics, and social exposome (social determinants of health) such as education and income. b. Genetic research should assess rare and common genetic variants, founder effects, genetic admixtures, epigenetics, and Latino-specific polygenic risk scores. c. Disease models need to account for these synergistic influences and multimodal data, including genetic, epigenetic, and environmental data, to identify high-risk individuals and develop effective prevention strategies. d. Tailored initiatives should include customized dementia risk models, multicomponent interventions involving lifestyle changes, healthcare access, and educational programs. Beyond current pharmacological therapies, addressing broader environmental and social determinants is crucial. Governments should implement policies to reduce socioeconomic disparities and improve education and healthcare access, addressing structural inequalities contributing to dementia risk.