The impact of SARS‐CoV‐2 in dementia across Latin America: A call for an urgent regional plan and coordinated response

Abstract

The SARS‐CoV‐2 global pandemic will disproportionately impact countries with weak economies and vulnerable populations including people with dementia. Latin American and Caribbean countries (LACs) are burdened with unstable economic development, fragile health systems, massive economic disparities, and a high prevalence of dementia. Here, we underscore the selective impact of SARS‐CoV‐2 on dementia among LACs, the specific strain on health systems devoted to dementia, and the subsequent effect of increasing inequalities among those with dementia in the region. Implementation of best practices for mitigation and containment faces particularly steep challenges in LACs. Based upon our consideration of these issues, we urgently call for a coordinated action plan, including the development of inexpensive mass testing and multilevel regional coordination for dementia care and related actions. Brain health diplomacy should lead to a shared and escalated response across the region, coordinating leadership, and triangulation between governments and international multilateral networks.

The Latin America and the Caribbean Consortium on Dementia (LAC-CD): From Networking to Research to Implementation Science

“…Individuals and relatives portrayed in the photos have provided written consent for reproduction. Reproduced with authorization from [98]. Such knowledge will also support the revision of 485 local ethical regulations, which still need to overcome 486 issues relating to equity and disparity.…”

Dementia in Latin America: Paving the way toward a regional action plan

“…Regional clinical trials and non‐pharmacological interventions are limited and biomarker research is lagging behind. More coordinated networking and translational research will help address existing and new challenges, such as those brought by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic, which will likely burden vulnerable populations across LACs 12,13 . The goal of this Policy Forum is to propose a Knowledge to Action Framework (KtAF) allowing regional challenges to be addressed through both local initiatives and global dementia strategies (see Panels for specific goals of this article).…”

The Multi-Partner Consortium to Expand Dementia Research in Latin America (ReDLat): Driving Multicentric Research and Implementation Science

“…An example of this is a call we develop to raise awareness of the long-term syndemic impact ( Figure 5 ) of coronavirus in aging and dementia across LACs ( 56 ). Subsequently, we proposed specific coordinated actions LACs to reduce such impact and new upcoming challenges, including the development of inexpensive mass testing and actions related to telemedicine, care, and research ( 126 ).…”

“…Individuals and relatives portrayed in the photos have provided written consent for reproduction. Reproduced with authorization from ( 126 ).…”

“…The Biomarker Framework (LAC-BF) will strive to validate complementary affordable biomarkers against the A/T/N framework, focusing on cognitive assessment, eye-tracking, non-invasive peripheral markers (i.e., plasma markers. ), and multimodal neuroimaging (e.g., EEG, MRI, fMRI, DTI) combined with machine- and deep-learning algorithms ( 65 , 66 , 68 , 71 , 82 , 87 , 112 , 126 , 129 – 134 ) and novel theoretical approaches ( 118 , 119 , 135 – 139 ). These unspecific markers can be validated with the measurement and comparison with A/T/N framework's canonical markers.…”