Older Australian Twins Study
The aims of the OATS study are:
- To find out what influences memory and thinking as we age;
- To investigate environmental influences such as lifetime physical and mental activity, socioeconomic environment, and nutrition;
- To investigate how biological factors such as hypertension and antioxidant levels interact with genes to influence brain ageing;
- To determine which influences on the ageing process are genetic and which are environmental and how the two interact.
Overview
- Acronym
- OATS
- Website
- OATS
- Investigators
-
- Contacts
-
General Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Start - End Year
- 2007 -
- General Information on Follow Up (profile, frequency)
-
Participants are followed-up every 2 years for a full assessment (face-to-face), and for a brief telephone interview in each alternate year.
- Recruitment Target
-
- Families
- Number of Participants
- 623
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 580
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
|
Marker Paper
Sachdev PS, Lammel A, Trollor JN, et al. A comprehensive neuropsychiatric study of elderly twins: the Older Australian Twins Study. Twin research and human genetics: the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies, 2009; 12(6): 573-82.
PUBMED 19943720Timeline
Population
The participants are identical and non-identical twin pairs, aged 65 years and older and living in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
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65
- Twins
- Countries
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- Australia
- Territory
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New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria
- Other Criteria
-
The inclusion criteria are: age 65 years and older, ability to consent, having a consenting co-twin, having completed some education in English and being at least of low average IQ.
The exclusion criteria include: diagnosis of malignancy or other life-threatening medical illness, inadequate English to complete a neuropsychological assessment and current diagnosis of an acute psychotic disorder.
Sources of Recruitment
- General Population
-
- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
-
Twins are being recruited through the Australian Twin Registry.
Sample Size
- Number of Participants
- 623
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 580
- Supplementary information about number of participants
-
Baseline: 623 participants
2-year follow-up: 450 participants
4-year follow-up: ongoing
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Data sources | Data sources - Biosamples | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | OATS - Baseline |
|
|
2007 | 2011 |
| 1 | OATS - 2-year follow-up |
|
|
2009 | 2013 |
| 2 | OATS - 4-year follow-up |
|
|
2011 | 2015 |
Participating Studies
| Acronym | Name | Study design | Countries |
|---|
Harmonization Initiatives Included
| Acronym | Name |
|---|
Datasets
| Name | Data Collection Events | Variables |
|---|
Areas of Information Collected
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Death
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Physical measures and assessments
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Laboratory measures
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Diseases
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Symptoms and signs
- Preschool, school and work life
- Medication and supplements
- Social environment and relationships
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Physical environment
- Health and community care services utilization
- Administrative information
Variables Content Summary
Areas of Information Collected
Areas of Information Collected per per Population and Data Collection Event
Networks
| Acronym | Name | Harmonization Initiatives | Individual Studies |
|---|