Do South American tribes have the secret to preserving themselves from dementia? The results of a study published in the journal The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association lead to believe it.
two tribesthe Tsimanes and the Mosetén, record 1% dementia cases in people over 65 versus 8 to 11% in developed countries.
To carry out their research, researchers from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles evaluated themental state members of the elderly tribes of over 60. A Bolivian doctor, accustomed to their contact, asked them a series of questions. Respondents’ brain health was measured by several neurological assessments including brain scans, cognitive tests and the questionnaire.
Among the Tsimane tribe, which numbers around 17,000 people, the scientists were able to count on the presence of 435 volunteers. Five people suffered from dementia. Within the Mosetén tribe, which has approximately 3,000 people, 169 members were measured. In total : one case was to be emphasized.
“The Tsimane and Moseten natives have a low prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.”