Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Clinical, functional, mental and social profile of the Nicoya Peninsula centenarians, Costa Rica, 2017
Fabian Madrigal-Leer1, Alvaro Martìnez-Montandòn2, Marielos Solìs-Umaña2
1National Geriatric and Gerontology Hospital CCSS, San José, Costa Rica. fundogen@gmail.com.
Background:
In Latin America, knowledge about the demography and health status of adults aged 100 years and over is scarce. Insufficient studies of the elderly population in Costa Rica exist despite having a "Blue Zone" (geographical area with a high concentration of centenarians) in the Peninsula of Nicoya, with a high percentage of centenarians in the districts of Santa Cruz, Nicoya, Hojancha, Nandayure and Carrillo.
Aims:
To describe the clinical, functional, mental and social profile of centenarians residing in the Blue Zone of the Peninsula of Nicoya, Costa Rica.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional study using a population base of 43 community-dwelling centenarians. A comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed, including sociodemographic information, health status, electrocardiogram and laboratory tests.
Results:
The mean age of centenarians was 101.93 years, of whom 18 (42%) were men and 25 (58%) women. Two (4.6%) resided in nursing homes. Women had worse results than men in the evaluation of dependence on basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and the short physical performance battery performance test. A high prevalence of low Vitamin D levels (87.3%), atrial fibrillation (9.3%) and visual impairment (46.5%) was found.
Conclusions:
This is the first study describing the medical, functional, mental and social profile of centenarians in the Peninsula of Nicoya (Blue Zone) in Costa Rica. This population has a high prevalence of malnutrition and hypertension with dependence on the basic activities of daily living, and a low prevalence for diabetes, depression, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and polypharmacy.
Related Concept Videos
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Social Scripts
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Social Proof
Social Traps
Social Facilitation

