The University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the University of Kansas got a special financing prize by the US Federal government for the continuation of researches on healthy ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
The prize is based on the granting of $200 000 from the Fogarty Foundation, managed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) that will allow to strengthen the infrastructure and experience of the joint research aiming to implement the Alzheimer and Memory Program in Costa Rica (PAM).
Since 2010, the Neuropsychology and Aging Laboratory and the Research Program on Memory and Alzheimer of the Gerontology Center, Kansas University, and the Institute of Psychological Researches (IIP) of the UCR have been collaborating to carry out longitudinal studies on active ageing and dementia.
The achieved resources will be used to develop the EDAD project (The Epidemiology and Development of Alzheimer’s Disease), which is a study with 300 older persons from rural and urban areas of Costa Rica.
Main researchers are Dr. Mónica Salazar Villanea, neurosychologist of the IIP, and Dr. David Johnson, neuropsychologist of Kansas University, with great experience in the early Alzheimer detection. Also participating Fernando Coto Yglesias, geriatrician and researcher of the IIP and professor of Gerontology Postgraduate Course of the UCR.
The researchers welcomed the prize assignment to face the needs of the project.
The UCR is expected to become a reference for all the Latin American countries also to understand their realities.
The Study in Costa Rica
The researchers of the UCR and of Kansas University informed the study to be made in Costa Rica will approach the influence of biological and environmental aspects in healthy ageing.
The idea is to compare Costa Rica with other countries and settle the diffferences.
Physical exercise reduce Alzheimer’s risk
The studies on aging made at the University of Kansas show there is a very close relation between the physical and mental health of people.
The main conclusion is a better cardiovascular health is less likely to develop Alzheimer.
There is a greater irrigation in certain areas of the brain linked to memory in healthy ageing.
Source: Costa Rica. On.com
At: http://www.costaricaon.com/noticias/ultima-hora/17342-estudian-envejecim…