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The aim of the Alfa Study is to focus on the processes taking place before the initiation of Alzheimer’s symptoms in order to design interventions to prevent or delay the onset of dementia. Inclusion criteria were being cognitively normal Spanish and/or Catalan-speaking persons aged between 45 and 74 years that agreed with the study procedures and tests: clinical interview and questionnaires associated to risk factors, cognitive tests, a blood sample extraction for DNA analysis, and MRI.
A subset (n=450) of the ALFA parent cohort participants are currently being recruited / undergoing a nested longitudinal long-term study, named the ALFA+ study, in which a more detailed phenotyping will be performed. On top of a similar characterization as in the ALFA parent cohort, it will entail the acquisition of both wet (CSF, blood, and urine sample collection) and imaging (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and PET) biomarkers. Furthermore, ALFA parent cohort participants may also be invited to participate in other BBRC studies such the ALFAlife primary intervention study (n=400) or the full genetic and neuroimaging characterisation study referred to as ALFAgenetics (n=2000).
Last Update 21/09/2017
Types Neurodegenerative disease-specific cohort
Participant Types At-risk diagnosis
Countries Spain
Genders Male and Female
Sample sizes 0 to 4,999
Ages 40 to 59|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|Musculoskeletal|Reproductive|Respiratory
Biological samples Blood|Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)>CSF biomarker data available
Genotyping Gene screening
Brain imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)|Positron emission tomography (PET) – amyloid|Positron emission tomography (PET) fluorine18 flurodeoxyglucose (FDG)
Brain banking
Lifestyle Alcohol|Dietary habits|Physical activity|Smoking
Socio-economic Education|Ethnic group|Family circumstances|Housing and accommodation|Income and finances|Marital status|Occupation and employment
Health service utilisation Formal health and social care service utilisation including private care
Institute names Barcelona?eta Brain Research Center
Current Sample Sizes 0 to 4,999
age at recruitment 45-75
last updated
recruitment period Apr 2013-Nov 2014
estimated current sample size number value 2700
cohort acronym Alfa Study
start date Apr 2013-Nov 2014
pi Dr. Jos’ Luis Molinuevo
website https://fpmaragall.org/en/research-alzheimer/alfa-study-against-alzheimer/
contact details Barcelona eta Brain Research Center
Wellington, 30
08005 Barcelona
Tel. +34 933160990
abstract The Alfa Study recruited 2,743 participants between 2013 and 2014. It is focused on the processes before the initiation of Alzheimer’s symptoms in order to design interventions to prevent or delay the onset of dementia.
funders Pasqual Maragall Foundation (FPM)
contact email PI Email: [email protected]
contact phone number Tel. +34 933160990
estimated current sample size 0 to 4,999
sample sizes 2743