Latin American women in dementia research: outstanding contributions, barriers, and opportunities from Argentinian, Chilean, and Colombian colleagues

Women’s contributions to science have been consistently underrepresented throughout history. Despite many efforts and some progresses being made to reduce gender inequity in science, pursuing an academic career across disciplines, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias, remains challenging for women. Idiosyncratic difficulties of Latin American countries likely accentuate the gender gap. In this Perspective, we celebrate outstanding contributions from Argentinian, Chilean, and Colombian colleagues in dementia research and discuss barriers and opportunities identified by them. We aim to acknowledge Latin American women’s work and bring visibility to the challenges they face throughout their careers in order to inform potential solutions. Also, we highlight the need to perform a systematic assessment of the gender gap in the Latin American dementia community of researchers

La aceptabilidad de un protocolo de tratamiento transdiagnóstico autoaplicado a través de internet: datos preliminares

Introducción: En los últimos años ha habido un interés creciente en abordar el trata-miento de los trastornos emocionales (te) desde una perspectiva transdiagnóstica. Los protocolos transdiagnósticos enfatizan los procesos esenciales subyacentes a los distintos te, son adecuados para el tratamiento de distintos trastornos psicológicos y permiten un abordaje más adecuado de la comorbilidad entre este tipo de trastornos. Por otra parte, el uso de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (tic) puede ayudar a que los tratamientos psicológicos lleguen a un mayor número de personas, contribuyendo de esta manera a mejorar su eficiencia. La mayoría de tra-bajos sobre protocolos de tratamiento online se centran en el estudio de su eficacia, sin embargo es importante también estudiar la aceptabilidad de este tipo de interven-ciones. Nuestro grupo de investigación ha desarrollado un protocolo de tratamiento transdiagnóstico para los te, y lo ha adaptado para que pueda ser aplicado a través de Internet. En este trabajo se describe este protocolo y se presentan datos prelimi-nares sobre su aceptabilidad. metodología: 12 participantes (edad media = 28,58, d. t. = 5,35) de una muestra clínica con un diagnóstico de te que recibieron un pro-tocolo de tratamiento transdiagnóstico combinado (terapia presencial + protocolo de tratamiento online). Se obtuvieron datos acerca de las expectativas y opinión de los participantes evaluadas con la escala de expectativas sobre el tratamiento y la esca-la de opinión sobre el tratamiento. resultados: Las puntuaciones obtenidas fueron elevadas en ambas variables relacionadas con la aceptación (expectativas y opi-nión). discusión: El estudio de la aceptabilidad por parte de los pacientes hacia estos programas es importante, ya que puede influir en la decisión acerca de iniciar y/o seguir este tipo de tratamientos. Contar con esta información puede ayudarnos en el desarrollo y mejora de los tratamientos psicológicos autoaplicados a través de Internet.Introduction: In recent years there has been great interest in addressing the treatment of ed from a transdiagnostic perspective. Transdiagnostic treatment protocols empha-size the essential underlying processes that are common to ed and are conceived of for the treatment of several mental disorders. Also, comorbidity among these disorders can be more adequately addressed from this perspective. In addition, Information and Communication Technologies (icts) can facilitate access by people for whom traditional therapy is not available thereby contributing to an improvement in its cost-effectiveness. Most of the articles about online treatment protocols are efficacy studies, nevertheless it is also important to analyze the acceptability of these types of interventions. Our re-search group has developed a transdiagnostic treatment protocol for the treatment of ed that has been adapted to be applied online over the Internet. The aim of this article is to describe the treatment protocol and to present data about its acceptability. me-thodology: 12 participants (mean age = 28.58, d. t. = 5.35) from a clinical sample with a diagnosis of ed which received a blended transdiagnostic protocol treatment (face-to-face therapy plus online treatment protocol). Scores of expectancies and opinion of treatment were assessed with the Expectancies Treatment Scale and the Opinion Treatment Scale. results: High scores in both variables related to acceptability (expec-tations and opinion of treatment) were obtained. discussion: The study of the accep-tability towards this kind of programs is important, since it may influence the participant’s decision to initiate and/or follow this kind of treatments. Counting on this information can help us in the development and improvement of Internet-based treatment proto-cols

Cambios estructurales y funcionales del hipocampo en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple y su relación con procesos de memoria

Introducción. Una de las alteraciones cognitivas más prevalentes en los pacientes con esclerosis múltiple son los proble- mas de codificación de la información (tanto verbal como visual), proceso relacionado con el hipocampo. Objetivo. Estudiar la relación entre los procesos de aprendizaje y retención de la información a largo plazo con el volumen hipocampal y la conectividad funcional (CF) en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple comparados con un grupo control. Sujetos y métodos. Ambos grupos fueron evaluados con la batería neuropsicológica breve, que incluye pruebas de me- moria verbal y visual. Se realizó el estudio de volumetría de la sustancia gris mediante la técnica de morfometría basada en el vóxel y un estudio de CF de vóxel de semilla centrado en la zona de interés (hipocampo). Se realizaron análisis de asociación entre rendimiento en memoria y cambios volumétricos y de CF. Resultados. Los resultados mostraron atrofia en la sustancia gris en el hipocampo izquierdo y una menor CF entre el hipo- campo izquierdo y el troncoencéfalo, el cerebelo, el giro fusiforme y el giro temporal superior en los pacientes respecto al grupo control. En el grupo de pacientes se observa una correlación positiva entre la sustancia gris en ambos hipocampos y el rendimiento en memoria verbal, así como una correlación positiva entre el rendimiento en memoria visual y la CF entre el hipocampo izquierdo y diversas regiones temporales. Conclusiones. Los resultados muestran una relación entre el rendimiento de memoria verbal y visual, y cambios estructu- rales y funcionales en el hipocampo en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple.Introduction. One of the most prevalent cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients relates to (both verbal and visual) information encoding, a process related the hippocampus. Aim. To assess the relationship between information learning and long-term retention processes and hippocampal volume and functional connectivity (FC) in MS patients. Subjects and methods. MS patients and a control group of healthy volunteers were assessed using the brief neuro- psychological battery, which includes tests of verbal and visual memory. Gray matter volume was assessed through the voxel based morphometry technique, and a study of seed-based FC focused on the region of interest (hippocampus) was also conducted. Results. Results revealed that, as compared to the control group, MS patients display gray matter atrophy at the left hippocampus gray matter and smaller FC between left hippocampus and brainstem, cerebellum, fusiform gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. Association analyses were performed between memory tests performance and both volumetric and FC changes. Results showed a positive correlation between gray matter hippocampal (bilateral) volume and verbal memory performance of the MS group. Further, in MS patients, a positive correlation between visual memory performance and FC between the left hippocampus and several temporal regions was also found. Conclusions. The results of the present study reveal a relationship between structural and functional changes in the hippocampus of MS patients and their performance on verbal and visual memory tests.Subvención concedida por la Universitat Jaume I (P1.1B2014-05)

Neurocognitive factorial structure of executive functions: Evidence from neurotypicals and frontotemporal dementia

The latent structure of executive functions (EFs) remains controversial. Confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) has provided support for both multidimensional (assumes EFs to be functionally separable but related components) and bifactor (proposes all components are nested within a common factor) models. However, these CFA models have never been compared in patient samples, nor regarding their neuroanatomical correlates. Here, we systematically contrast both approaches in neurotypicals and in a neurodegenerative lesion model (patients with the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, bvFTD), characterized by executive deficits associated with frontal neurodegeneration. First, CFA was used to test the models' fit in a sample of 341 neurotypicals and 29 bvFTD patients based on performance in an executive frontal screening battery which assesses working memory, motor inhibition, verbal inhibition, and abstraction capacity. Second, we compared EFs factor and observed scores between patients and matched controls. Finally, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to compare the grey matter correlates of factor and observed scores. CFA results showed that both models fit the data well. The multidimensional model, however, was more sensitive than the bifactor model and the observed scores to detect EFs impairments in bvFTD patients. VBM results for the multidimensional model revealed common and unique grey matter correlates for EFs components across prefrontal-insular, posterior, and temporal cortices. Regarding the bifactor model, only the common factor was associated with prefrontal-insular hubs. Observed scores presented scant, non-frontal grey matter associations. Converging behavioral and neuroanatomical evidence from healthy populations and a neurodegenerative model of EFs supports an underlying multidimensional structure.Universidad de Costa Rica/[]/UCR/Costa RicaConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas/[]/CONICET/ArgentinaFondo de Financiamiento de Centros de Investigación en Áreas Prioritarias/[ANID/FONDAP/15150012]/FONDAP/ChileProyectos de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica/[FONCYT-PICT 2017-1820]/PICT/ArgentinaFondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico/[ANID/FONDECYT-1210195]/FONDECYT/ChileFondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico/[ANID/FONDECYT-1210176]/FONDECYT/ChileGlobal Brain Health Institute/[ALZ UK-20-639295]/GBHI/Estados UnidosGlobal Brain Health Institute/[ALZ UK-20-639295]/GBHI/IrlandaAlzheimer's Association/[SG-20-725707]//Estados UnidosMulti-Partner Consortium to Expand Dementia Research in Latin America/[R01 AG057234]/ReDLat/Estados UnidosUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Sociales::Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas (IIP)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Centro de Investigación en Neurociencias (CIN

Increased regional gray matter atrophy and enhanced functional connectivy in male multiple sclerosis patients

Evidence suggests that sex/gender is an important factor for understanding multiple sclerosis (MS) and that some of its neuropathological consequences might manifest earlier in males. In the present study, we assessed gray matter (GM) volume and functional connectivity (FC) in a sample of female and male MS patients (MSp) and female and male healthy controls (HCs). As compared to female MSp, male MSp showed decreased GM volume in the bilateral frontal areas and increased FC between different brain regions. Because both sets of changes correlated significantly and no differences in cognitive performance were observed, we suggest that the FC increase observed in male MSp acts as a compensatory mechanism for their more extensive GM loss and that it promotes a functional convergence between male- and female-MSp.This research has been supported by grant P1-1B2014-15 provided to Cristina Forn by the Universitat Jaume I

Your misery is no longer my pleasure: Reduced schadenfreude in Huntington's disease families

Schadenfreude – pleasure at others' misfortunes – has been systematically related to ventral striatum activity. This brain region is affected early in individuals with manifest and pre-manifest Huntington's disease (HD). However, the experience of schadenfreude has not yet been investigated in HD. In this study, 21 manifest HD patients, 19 first-degree asymptomatic relatives, and 23 healthy controls performed an experimental task designed to trigger schadenfreude, envy (another social emotion acting as an affective control condition), and control situations. Both HD patients and first-degree relatives experienced lower schadenfreude in response to others' misfortunes, with no group differences in ratings of envy and control conditions. These results offer unprecedented evidence of a highly specific impairment in reward processing, extending previous reports in manifest and pre-manifest HD individuals. Moreover, these findings suggest that early striatal impairments may be related to reduced feelings of schadenfreude. In sum, our work contributes to the understanding of emotional impairments in early stages of HD, while shedding light on their neural correlates.Fil: Báez Buitrago, Sandra Jimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; ArgentinaFil: García, Adolfo Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; ArgentinaFil: Orozco, Janni. Universidad Autónoma del Caribe; ColombiaFil: Fittipaldi, María Sol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; ArgentinaFil: García, Adolfo Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; ArgentinaFil: Pino, Mariana. Universidad Autónoma del Caribe; ColombiaFil: Ibáñez Barassi, Agustín Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Neurociencia Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Autónoma del Caribe; Colombia. Universidad Adolfo Ibañez; Chil

Neurocognitive signatures of phonemic sequencing in expert backward speakers

Despite its prolific growth, neurolinguistic research on phonemic sequencing has largely neglected the study of individuals with highly developed skills in this domain. To bridge this gap, we report multidimensional signatures of two experts in backward speech, that is, the capacity to produce utterances by reversing the order of phonemes while retaining their identity. Our approach included behavioral assessments of backward and forward speech alongside neuroimaging measures of voxel-based morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging, and resting-state functional connectivity. Relative to controls, both backward speakers exhibited behavioral advantages for reversing words and sentences of varying complexity, irrespective of working memory skills. These patterns were accompanied by increased grey matter volume, higher mean diffusivity, and enhanced functional connectivity along dorsal and ventral stream regions mediating phonological and other linguistic operations, with complementary support of areas subserving associative-visual and domain-general processes. Still, the specific loci of these neural patterns differed between both subjects, suggesting individual variability in the correlates of expert backward speech. Taken together, our results offer new vistas on the domain of phonemic sequencing, while illuminating neuroplastic patterns underlying extraordinary language abilities

Multi-feature computational framework for combined signatures of dementia in underrepresented settings

Objetivo. El diagnóstico diferencial de la variante conductual de la demencia frontotemporal (bvFTD) y La enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) sigue siendo un desafío en grupos subrepresentados y subdiagnosticados, incluidos los latinos, ya que los biomarcadores avanzados rara vez están disponibles. Directrices recientes para el estudio de demencia destacan el papel fundamental de los biomarcadores. Por lo tanto, nuevos complementarios rentables Se requieren enfoques en entornos clínicos. Acercarse. Desarrollamos un marco novedoso basado en un clasificador de aprendizaje automático que aumenta el gradiente, ajustado por la optimización bayesiana, en una función múltiple enfoque multimodal (que combina imágenes demográficas, neuropsicológicas y de resonancia magnética) (IRM) y electroencefalografía/datos de conectividad de IRM funcional) para caracterizar neurodegeneración utilizando la armonización del sitio y la selección de características secuenciales. Evaluamos 54 DFTvc y 76 pacientes con EA y 152 controles sanos (HC) de un consorcio latinoamericano (ReDLat). Resultados principales. El modelo multimodal arrojó una alta clasificación de área bajo la curva (pacientes con DFTvc frente a HC: 0,93 (±0,01); pacientes con EA frente a HC: 0,95 (±0,01); DFTvv frente a EA pacientes: 0,92 (±0,01)). El enfoque de selección de características filtró con éxito información no informativa marcadores multimodales (de miles a decenas). Resultados. Probado robusto contra multimodal heterogeneidad, variabilidad sociodemográfica y datos faltantes. Significado. El modelo con precisión subtipos de demencia identificados utilizando medidas fácilmente disponibles en entornos subrepresentados, con un rendimiento similar al de los biomarcadores avanzados. Este enfoque, si se confirma y replica, puede complementar potencialmente las evaluaciones clínicas en los países en desarrollo.Q1Q1Abstract Objective. The differential diagnosis of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains challenging in underrepresented, underdiagnosed groups, including Latinos, as advanced biomarkers are rarely available. Recent guidelines for the study of dementia highlight the critical role of biomarkers. Thus, novel cost-effective complementary approaches are required in clinical settings. Approach. We developed a novel framework based on a gradient boosting machine learning classifier, tuned by Bayesian optimization, on a multi-feature multimodal approach (combining demographic, neuropsychological, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and electroencephalography/functional MRI connectivity data) to characterize neurodegeneration using site harmonization and sequential feature selection. We assessed 54 bvFTD and 76 AD patients and 152 healthy controls (HCs) from a Latin American consortium (ReDLat). Main results. The multimodal model yielded high area under the curve classification values (bvFTD patients vs HCs: 0.93 (±0.01); AD patients vs HCs: 0.95 (±0.01); bvFTD vs AD patients: 0.92 (±0.01)). The feature selection approach successfully filtered non-informative multimodal markers (from thousands to dozens). Results. Proved robust against multimodal heterogeneity, sociodemographic variability, and missing data. Significance. The model accurately identified dementia subtypes using measures readily available in underrepresented settings, with a similar performance than advanced biomarkers. This approach, if confirmed and replicated, may potentially complement clinical assessments in developing countries.https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6529-7077https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=es&user=kaGongoAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdatehttps://scienti.minciencias.gov.co/cvlac/visualizador/generarCurriculoCv.do?cod_rh=0000055000Revista Internacional - IndexadaS

Predicting and Characterizing Neurodegenerative Subtypes with Multimodal Neurocognitive Signatures of Social and Cognitive Processes

Background: Social cognition is critically compromised across neurodegenerative diseases, including the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no previous study has used social cognition and other cognitive tasks to predict diagnoses of these conditions, let alone reporting the brain correlates of prediction outcomes. Objective: We performed a diagnostic classification analysis using social cognition, cognitive screening (CS), and executive function (EF) measures, and explored which anatomical and functional networks were associated with main predictors. Methods: Multiple group discriminant function analyses (MDAs) and ROC analyses of social cognition (facial emotional recognition, theory of mind), CS, and EF were implemented in 223 participants (bvFTD, AD, PD, controls). Gray matter volume and functional connectivity correlates of top discriminant scores were investigated. Results: Although all patient groups revealed deficits in social cognition, CS, and EF, our classification approach provided robust discriminatory characterizations. Regarding controls, probabilistic social cognition outcomes provided the best characterization for bvFTD (together with CS) and PD, but not AD (for which CS alone was the best predictor). Within patient groups, the best MDA probabilities scores yielded high classification rates for bvFTD versus PD (98.3%, social cognition), AD versus PD (98.6%, social cognition+CS), and bvFTD versus AD (71.7%, social cognition+CS). Top MDA scores were associated with specific patterns of atrophy and functional networks across neurodegenerative conditions. Conclusion: Standardized validated measures of social cognition, in combination with CS, can provide a dimensional classification with specific pathophysiological markers of neurodegeneration diagnoses.Fil: Ibanez Barassi, Agustin Mariano. Universidad de San Andrés; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Adolfo Ibañez; Chile. Universidad de Dublin; Irlanda. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Fittipaldi, Sol. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad de San Andrés; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Trujillo, Catalina. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Jaramillo, Tania. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Torres, Alejandra. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Cardona, Juan F.. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Rivera, Rodrigo. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Slachevsky, Andrea. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Garciá, Adolfo. Universidad de San Andrés; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Santiago de Chile; Chile. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Bertoux, Maxime. Universidad Adolfo Ibañez; ChileFil: Baez, Sandra. Universidad de los Andes; Colombi

Multivariate word properties in fluency tasks reveal markers of Alzheimer’s dementia

Version of Record online: 12 October 2023INTRODUCTION Verbal fluency tasks are common in Alzheimer's disease (AD) assessments. Yet, standard valid response counts fail to reveal disease-specific semantic memory patterns. Here, we leveraged automated word-property analysis to capture neurocognitive markers of AD vis-à-vis behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). METHODS Patients and healthy controls completed two fluency tasks. We counted valid responses and computed each word's frequency, granularity, neighborhood, length, familiarity, and imageability. These features were used for group-level discrimination, patient-level identification, and correlations with executive and neural (magnetic resonanance imaging [MRI], functional MRI [fMRI], electroencephalography [EEG]) patterns. RESULTS Valid responses revealed deficits in both disorders. Conversely, frequency, granularity, and neighborhood yielded robust group- and subject-level discrimination only in AD, also predicting executive outcomes. Disease-specific cortical thickness patterns were predicted by frequency in both disorders. Default-mode and salience network hypoconnectivity, and EEG beta hypoconnectivity, were predicted by frequency and granularity only in AD. DISCUSSION Word-property analysis of fluency can boost AD characterization and diagnosis. Highlights We report novel word-property analyses of verbal fluency in AD and bvFTD. Standard valid response counts captured deficits and brain patterns in both groups. Specific word properties (e.g., frequency, granularity) were altered only in AD. Such properties predicted cognitive and neural (MRI, fMRI, EEG) patterns in AD. Word-property analysis of fluency can boost AD characterization and diagnosis.National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Aging, Grant/Award Numbers: R01AG057234, R01AG075775; ANID: FONDECYT Regular, Grant/Award Numbers: 1210176, 1210195, 1220995; FONDAP, Grant/Award Number: 15150012; PIA/ANILLOS, Grant/Award Number: ACT210096; FONDEF, Grant/Award Number: ID20I10152; GBHI, Alzheimer’s Association, and Alzheimer’s Society: Alzheimer’s Association GBHI, Grant/Award Number: ALZ UK-22-865742; Alzheimer’s Association, Grant/Award Number: SG-20-725707; Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile, Grant/Award Number: #BL-SRGP2021-01; Programa Interdisciplinario de Investigación Experimental en Comunicación y Cognición (PIIECC), Facultad de Humanidades, USACH; Takeda, Grant/Award Number: CW2680521; Rainwater Charitable Foundation; Tau Consortium; European Commission: H2020-MSCA-IF-GFMULTI-LAND, Grant/Award Number: 10102581