Advancing Global Diversity in Dementia Research for Better Outcomes

A pioneering international initiative led by the University of New South Wales' Center for Healthy Brain Aging (CHeBA) is transforming our understanding of dementia by emphasizing the importance of diverse and inclusive research. This effort aims to address the significant gap in global health equity concerning dementia risk factors across different populations.

A recent publication in the journal Neuroscience, titled "Addressing global diversity in dementia research with the COSMIC collaboration," sheds light on how the Cohort Studies of Memory in an International Consortium (COSMIC) is making dementia research more representative and globally applicable. Spearheaded by CHeBA Research Fellow Dr. Darren Lipnicki, the study highlights that dementia risk factors are not uniformly distributed across populations. The global approach adopted by COSMIC has revealed crucial differences in how cardiovascular health, lifestyle, and social elements influence dementia risk among various ethnic and regional groups. Understanding these differences is vital for developing tailored preventative strategies.

Professor Perminder Sachdev, leader of COSMIC and Co-Director of CHeBA, emphasizes that comprehending risk factors in diverse settings is essential for reducing dementia's future worldwide burden. He points out that strategies effective in high-income countries may not translate directly to low- and middle-income regions, which limits the effectiveness of interventions.

The urgency of this work is underscored by the alarming projection that the global dementia population, currently over 55 million, will triple to 153 million by 2050, with the fastest growth in low- and middle-income countries. Despite this, these populations are underrepresented in current research, which hampers the development of effective global solutions.

Since its founding in 2012, COSMIC has amalgamated data from over 60 cohort studies across 38 countries, encompassing more than 200,000 participants from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Australia. This extensive dataset allows researchers to assess how factors like age, genetics, education, environment, and gender intersect with dementia risk across different ethnic and geographic contexts.

Key findings from the latest research include stronger associations between cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes and high cholesterol, and cognitive decline in Asian populations compared to Western populations. Additionally, social factors like family bonds and community support show stronger protective effects in some regions. Variations in education, reproductive history, and genetics also significantly influence dementia risk depending on regional and ethnic backgrounds.

COSMIC is actively working to fill critical gaps by developing risk models and diagnostic tools suitable for use in low-resource settings, training researchers in LMICs, and supporting global data sharing through platforms like Dementias Platform Australia (DPAU). This inclusive and collaborative approach is vital as the global dementia burden continues to escalate.

The consortium invites new cohort studies, especially from underrepresented populations and LMICs, to participate and ensure that dementia prevention strategies are truly inclusive and effective for all regions worldwide.