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The original aim of the Metropolit cohort was to follow men from early school age to early mid-life, to explore intergenerational mobility and differential life-chances. In 2001 the cohort was revitalised in order to study the development of chronic diseases in a life course perspective.
The Metropolit cohort comprises all 11532 men born in 1953 in the Copenhagen Metropolitan area who were living in Denmark in 1968. These men have been followed repeatedly since their birth. In brief, we have data from birth certificates (1953) which include information on birth dimensions and father’s occupation. In 1965, 7,987 participated in a school-based survey and completed tests of cognition and enquiries regarding leisure-time activities and social aspirations. Data from draft board examinations at around age 19 have been collected for 11,108 of the men. These data include cognitive testing and health information. In 2004, 6,292 of the men responded to a mailed questionnaire with questions on health and lifestyle. In 2009-2010, 2486 of 7799 eligible cohort members participated in the Copenhagen Ageing Midlife Biobank (CAMB) study which comprised questionnaires, cognitive and physical testing as well as blood sampling. Further, around 300 men selected on their young adult and current cognitive performance have been through a neurophysiological examination including EEG, MRI, fMRI and sleep tests. The cohort has also been followed in nation-wide social and health registers for social life, medical and mental hospital diagnosis as well as cause of death from 1969 to 2016.

Last Update 21/09/2017

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

The Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (Sydney MAS) began in 2005 to examine the clinical characteristics and prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and related syndromes, and to determine the rate of change in cognitive function over time.

Non-demented community-dwelling individuals (N=1037) aged 70-90 were recruited from two areas of Sydney, following a random approach to 8,914 individuals on the electoral roll. They underwent detailed neuropsychiatric and medical assessments and donated a blood sample for clinical chemistry, proteomics and genomics. A knowledgeable informant was also interviewed. Structural MRI scans were performed on 554 individuals, and subgroups participated in studies of falls and balance, metabolic and inflammatory markers, functional MRI and prospective memory. The cohort is to be followed up with brief telephone reviews annually, and detailed assessments biannually.

Last update – 20/07/2017

The initial aims were to examine the importance of lipids, haemostatic factors, and hormones such as testosterone, cortisol and insulin (Lichtenstein et al 1987) in the development of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Subsequently, other hypotheses were included with a specific interest in platelet function, and psychosocial variables. With the ageing of the cohort, additional outcomes have been included in particular stroke, hearing problems and cognitive function.

The initial design attempted to contact all men aged 45 to 59 years from the town of Caerphilly and adjoining villages. 2512 subjects (response rate 89%) identified from the electoral register and general practice lists were examined between July 1979 until September 1983 (phase I).

Men were initially seen at an evening clinic, where they completed a questionnaire, had anthropometric measures and an ECG taken. They also completed a food frequency questionnaire at home (Fehily et al 1994). They subsequently re-attended an early morning clinic to have fasting blood samples for a wide variety of tests.
Quality control was examined by the use of both “blind” split samples as well as a second repeat measure on a random sub-sample to examine intra-individual variation.

The men have been followed up 5 times; Phase II (July 1984-June 1988), Phase III (Nov 1989-Sep 1993), Phase IV (Oct 1993-Feb 1997) and two further occasions via post. An additional 447 men were included in the survey at Phase II.

Last update – 11/04/2017

InveCe.Ab (Invecchiamento Cerebrale ad Abbiategrasso) is a longitudinal, population-based study of disorders of brain ageing involving the assessment and long-term monitoring of the physical conditions and cognitive status. The target population comprises all Abbiategrasso residents born between 1935 and 1939, a reference sample, according to Population Register data, of around 1,700 people.

Those who agreed to participate in the Invece.Ab study were enrolled in a cross-sectional assessment and will be contacted two and four years after the initial data collection to participate in the longitudinal survey. Both the cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments include a medical evaluation, a neuropsychological test battery, several anthropometric measurements, a social and lifestyle interview, blood analyses, and the storage of a blood sample for the evaluation of putative biological markers.

Last update – 02/05/2017

GENDER is a study of unlike-sex twin pairs born between 1906 and 1925 (Gold et al., 2002). A survey concerning health and health behavior was mailed in 1994 with responses from 1,210 twins from 605 pairs where both responded. Mean age at baseline questionnaire assessment was 74.43 (SD 4.28) and all are Caucasians. A baseline in-person evaluation of 498 twins from 249 pairs between 70 and 80 years of age was undertaken between 1995 and 1997, and included an interview and tests of cognitive and physical functioning. Two additional in-person waves followed at 4-year intervals. Finally, a second survey was mailed in 2007 to all living twins who participated in the first mailed survey.

Last update – 04/03/2017

The British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) is a prospective study in middle-aged men drawn from general practices in 24 British towns, 7,735 men were recruited in 1978-1980. It was set up to determine the factors responsible for the considerable variation in coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke in Great Britain. It also seeks to determine the causes of these conditions in order to provide a rational basis for recommendations towards their prevention.

Following the collection of baseline date in 1978-80 the cohort has been followed up through the participants, two-yearly GP Record Reviews, and the Office of Population and Census Surveys. Participants have been re-contacted through questionnaires or assessment in 1983-85, 1992, 1996, 1998-2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2010-2012, 2014, 2015, 2016.

Last update – 21/02/2017

There are over 800,000 people with dementia in the UK today, and this figure is set to double in the next 30 years. Dementia has a huge impact on a person’s life and is one of society’s most urgent health and social care challenges. Despite this, treatment for dementia is very limited and there is no cure.

Human tissue is vital for dementia research but is currently in short supply and is not covered in standard organ donation schemes. With the support of Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK, Brains for Dementia Research was set up in 2007 to establish a network of brain bank facilities across England and Wales.

It is now a ‘gold standard’ for brain tissue banking, linking six leading centres (based in London, Oxford, Newcastle, Bristol, Manchester and Cardiff) in a network of common standards, best practice and cooperation. This lays the foundation to enable the highest quality dementia research, which aims to find a cure for dementia. In each bank, people with mild cognitive impairment or a diagnosis of dementia, and healthy participants, are supported to donate their brain by specialist research nurses.

This initiative is unique from other brain banks, as the memory, thinking and behaviour of each prospective donor are monitored throughout their later life through regular assessments. This provides researchers with a complete medical history to accompany the donated brain tissue, allowing them to see how brain changes correlate with symptoms.

Last update – 09/05/2018

The Three-City Study (3C Study) is a population-based longitudinal study of the relation between vascular diseases and dementia in persons aged 65 years and older. A total of 9,294 participants (3,649 men and 5,645 women) were recruited from three French cities: Bordeaux (2,104), Dijon (4,931) and Montpellier (2,259).

The principal objective is to estimate the risk of dementia (Alzheimer’s disease and other types) that may be attributed to vascular factors.

In follow up 1 and 2 (2001-2004) participants were interviewed and subjected to physical and cognitive testing. In follow up 3 (2005-2012) participants completed a postal questionnaire. The third, fourth, and fith waves of follow-up examinations started in 2006 and finished in 2012. A sixth follow-up is ongoing.

Last update – 03/02/2017

Aims & objective

  • To find out the known as well as some new factors which increase the risk of occurrence of stroke (half body paralysis, Lakwa) and of memory problem and other brain related problems.
  • To identify a group of apparently healthy people (50 years and above), carry out their health check up and follow them up over several years to detect any health problems (like heart attack, lakwa, memory problems) with increasing age.
  • To investigate the prevalence and incidence of and risk factors for stroke and cognitive decline in the elderly.

Updates about the health of the participants will be obtained from telephone follow-ups every six months and physical check-ups every three years. The study is expected to last for at least 10 years.

Last update – 02/02/2017