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MRC CFAS study started in the late 1980s with the initial aim of investigating dementia and cognitive decline in a representative sample of more than 18,000 people aged over 65 years. To date there have been in the region of 48,000 interviews with participants in the study. The range of information collected has also allowed the study to investigate depression and physical disability in the older population and also look at healthy active life expectancy. Following baseline interviews, subsets of the cohort have been contacted for 1, 2, 6 and 8 year follow up and the whole sample were contacted for a 10 year follow up. There have also been in excess of 580 donations of participants brains after death.
CFAS is part of the Dementias Platform UK (DPUK), a multi-million pound public-private partnership to accelerate progress in dementias research http://www.mrc.ac.uk/research/facilities/dementias-platform-uk/
There is a sister study CFAS II which builds on the design and infrastructure of MRC CFAS. It has provided data on generational and geographical differences including people in institutions. CFAS I is the original three sites (Cambridge, Newcastle and Nottingham) from MRC CFAS which are used as a comparitor for CFAS II.
Last update: 13/01/2017
Types General population-based cohort
Participant Types No diagnosis
Countries United Kingdom
Genders Male and Female
Sample sizes 10,000 to 19,999
Ages 60 to 100
Brain related measures Behaviour|Cognitive function|Mental health|Neurological
Funtional rating Individual physiological|Individual psychological
Anthropometric
Physical Cardiovascular|Hearing and Vision|Respiratory
Biological samples Blood|Other|Saliva
Genotyping
Brain imaging
Brain banking Consent for brain donation
Lifestyle Alcohol|Dietary habits|Physical activity|Smoking
Socio-economic Education|Ethnic group|Family circumstances|Housing and accommodation|Marital status|Occupation and employment|Unpaid care
Health service utilisation Formal health and social care service utilisation including private care
Institute names University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine
Current Sample Sizes 10,000 to 19,999
age at recruitment >65
last updated
recruitment period 1989-92
estimated current sample size number value 150
cohort acronym MRC CFAS 1
start date 1989-92
pi Professor Carol Brayne
website http://www.cfas.ac.uk/
contact details CFAS
Institute of Public Health
Forvie Site
University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine
Cambridge Biomedical Campus
Cambridge
CB2 0SR
abstract CFAS Is initial aim was to investigate dementia and cognitive decline in a representative sample of more than 18,000 people aged 65 years or over. This population cohort began in the late 1980s.
funders Alzheimer’s Society
Previously MRC
contact email [email protected]
contact phone number +44 (0) 1223 330312
estimated current sample size 0 to 4,999
sample sizes 18500