The Older Australian Twin Study

The Older Australian Twins Study is a longitudinal, multi-centre study that investigates healthy brain ageing in older twins (65+ years). OATS commenced in New South Wales in January 2007, in Queensland in December 2007, and in Victoria in February 2008. Since the OATS study started we have followed our twin volunteers up every two years to check on their psychological and physical health. Participants undergo rigorous medical and cognitive function tests, with many participants’ also providing bloods samples and having a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of their brain. In 2015 we finished our 4-year follow ups. OATS assessed 623 participants at baseline, 450 at the 2-year follow up, and 389 completed their 4-year follow-up.

Last Update 21/09/2017

Types General population-based cohort
Participant Types No diagnosis
Countries Australia
Genders Male and Female
Sample sizes 0 to 4,999
Ages 60 to 100
Brain related measures Behaviour|Cognitive function|Mental health|Neurological
Funtional rating Caregiver|Individual physiological|Individual psychological
Anthropometric Blood pressure|Height|Hip circumference|Waist circumference|Weight
Physical Cardiovascular|Hearing and Vision|Reproductive|Respiratory
Biological samples Blood
Genotyping Gene screening
Brain imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Brain banking Consent for brain donation
Lifestyle Alcohol|Dietary habits|Physical activity|Smoking
Socio-economic Education|Ethnic group|Family circumstances|Informal support|Marital status|Occupation and employment|Unpaid care
Health service utilisation Formal health and social care service utilisation including private care
Institute names Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing
Current Sample Sizes 0 to 4,999

age at recruitment >65
last updated
recruitment period 2007
estimated current sample size number value 389
cohort acronym OATS
start date 2007
pi Professor Perminder Sachdev
website https://cheba.unsw.edu.au/project/older-australian-twins-study
contact details Vibeke S. Catts, PhD
Study Coordinator ﾖ Older Australian Twins Study
CHeBA (Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing)
UNSW Medicine, School of Psychiatry
abstract  OATS is a longitudinal, multi-centre study that investigates healthy brain ageing in older twins (65+ years). It began in 2007 and recruited 623 participants
funders  National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Grants ID401162 (2007-11), ID10424224 (2012), ID1030039 (2012), ID1045325 (2013-15), ID1085606 (2015-17)
contact email Email: [email protected]
contact phone number 
estimated current sample size 0 to 4,999
sample sizes 623