Older adults at risk of dementia improved their memory, thinking skills, and overall cognitive performance after taking part in two culturally adapted lifestyle programs across 11 Latin American countries. The strongest benefits were seen among participants who received more structured guidance, including regular coaching and support.
The Alzheimer's Association-funded study, known as the Latin American Initiative for Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline (LatAm-FINGERS), followed participants for two years.
The findings were presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2026 in London. They build on results from the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER), showing that programs combining physical activity, healthy eating, cognitive training and social engagement can be adapted for different cultures, health systems and communities. The study was also published in The Lancet.
Adapting Brain Health Programs to Local Cultures
"The results demonstrate for the first time in Latin America that culturally adapted lifestyle interventions can be successfully implemented across diverse countries and communities, and deliver cognitive benefits for populations that are often underrepresented in clinical research," said Lucia Crivelli, Ph.D., lead author of the study and principal investigator at Fleni, a neurological institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
