Symposium highlighted brain health and aging findings for low- and middle-income countries.
By Dr. Aida Suárez-Gonzalez, Prof. Morris Freedman, Dr. Thomas Bak, Prof. Adesola Ogunniyi, Prof. Gladys E. Maestre, and Prof. Raj Kalaria
Chairs and delegates at the Dementia and Brain Aging in Low- and Middle-Income Countries 2024 conference.
Dementia and Brain Aging in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, a symposium held Dec. 3-6, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya, marked another milestone in global efforts to advance equitable brain health. Hosted at the Safari Park Hotel, the event brought together more than 200 delegates from Africa and the world, representing a wide spectrum of researchers, clinicians, and policymakers. The setting underscored the meeting’s purpose: to center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of those working within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the burden of dementia is growing rapidly.
The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) Aphasia, Dementia, and Cognitive Disorders (ADCD) Specialty Group was honored to participate with a dedicated session and a presence throughout the meeting. In her opening remarks, WFN ADCD Chair Dr. Aida Suárez-González reaffirmed the WFN’s longstanding support of this symposium and its commitment to continue investing in regional partnerships, scientific exchange, and capacity building.
Opening remarks. (Left to right): Omar Oropeza (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley),
Prof. Raj Kalaria (Newcastle University), Prof. Gladys Maestre (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), Prof. Adesola Ogunniyi (AfDC), Prof. Julius Ogeng’o (University of Nairobi), Mercy Njuguna (Kenya Ministry of Health), Dr. Claire Sexton (Alzheimer’s Association), Prof. Zul Merali (Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Kenya), Dr. Aida Suarez-Gonzalez (WFN ADCD), Elizabeth Mutunga (Alzheimer’s Dementia Organization Kenya), and Prof. David Ndetei (African Institute of Mental and Brain Health).
Scientific Highlights
The program, co-led by Profs. Gladys Maestre and Raj Kalaria, featured sessions on the global burden of dementia, vascular and cardiometabolic risk factors, and genetic studies of Alzheimer’s disease in African populations. The African Dementia Consortium (AfDC) held its general assembly during the meeting, further solidifying a Pan-African agenda for brain health research and policy.
The Recruitment and Retention for Alzheimer’s Disease Diversity Cohorts in the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (READD-ADSP) consortium presented new findings from African cohorts, showcasing the continent’s essential role in shaping global neuroscience.
Aphasia and Cognitive Assessment (WFN ADCD Session). (Left to right): Dr. Elena Tsoy (Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco), Prof. Panagiotis Alexopoulos (University of Patras, Greece), Dr. Stella-Maria Paddick (Newcastle University), Dr. Aida Suarez-Gonzalez (University College London) Dr. Kamada Lwere (Uganda), Prof. Morris Freedman (University of Toronto), and (front) Dr. Thomas Bak, (University of Edinburgh).
The WFN ADCD session, “Aphasia and Cognitive Assessment,” brought together experts addressing key challenges in global cognitive assessment and treatments. Speakers included Dr. Thomas Bak, Dr. Aida Suarez-Gonzalez, Prof. Morris Freedman, Dr. Elena Tsoy, Dr. Stella-Maria Paddick, and Prof. Panagiotis Alexopoulos. They explored topics including cognitive rehabilitation, digital diagnostics, hearing impairment in dementia, multilingual aphasia assessment, and telemedicine.
One of the week’s major highlights was the official launch and celebration of Africa-FINGERS, co-chaired by Dr. Chinedu Udeh-Momoh and Prof. Zul Merali. This ambitious initiative adapts the successful Finnish prevention model from the FINGERS Brain Health Institute, representing a critical step toward scalable, lifestyle-based dementia risk reduction in Africa.
WFN ADCD executive committee members with conference convenors. (Left to right): Prof. Raj Kalaria, Dr. Aida Suárez-González, Dr. Thomas Bak, Prof. Gladys Maestre, and Prof. Morris Freedman.
Early career researchers played a prominent role in the symposium, presenting across all sessions and participating in mentoring breakfasts, skills workshops, and dedicated networking events. Their involvement reflected a generational shift in leadership and capacity development.
The meeting also fostered strong interpersonal and cross-regional connections. Side events on health system integration, HIV and brain health, and publishing in global journals enriched the formal program. Discussions emphasized the need for context-specific solutions informed by local knowledge and practice.
The WFN ADCD was honored to contribute to the Nairobi program and to stand alongside colleagues advancing the future of brain health in LMICs. Our next engagements will be the World Congress of Neurology in October in Seoul, South Korea, and our biennial meeting in Noosa Heads, Australia, in 2026. We look forward to returning to Africa for the next Dementia and Brain Aging in Low- and Middle-Income Countries conference in late 2026. •
Dr. Aida Suárez-González is principal research fellow and consultant clinical neuropsychologist at University College London’s Queen Square Institute of Neurology. Prof. Morris Freedman is WFN treasurer, a professor in the department of medicine (neurology) at the University of Toronto, head of the division of neurology, medical director of the Pamela and Paul Austin Centre for Neurology and Behavioural Support, and a researcher at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Thomas Bak is a reader at the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Prof. Adesola Ogunniyi is a professor of neurology at University of Ibadan College of Medicine, Nigeria. Prof. Gladys E. Maestre is professor of neurosciences and human genetics and the director of the Rio Grande Valley Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine. Prof. Raj Kalaria is a professor of neuropathology at Newcastle University and founder and past president of the International Society of Vascular Behavioural and Cognitive Disorders.
