Cognitive Function and Ageing Study
The aims of the CFAS study are:
- To find out how common dementia and associated conditions are in England and Wales and also, how many new cases of dementia develop each year in England and Wales;
- To find out if dementia varies around the country;
- To describe the service needs of dementia sufferers and the degree of disability suffered;
- To find out which factors increase the risk of someone developing dementia;
- To investigate the different diseases that cause dementia and how quickly dementia progresses.
- Start Year
- 1989
Visit CFAS
| Investigators | Contacts |
|---|---|
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Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Follow Up
-
The follow-up has been determined by funding and the design of associated bolt-on studies. CFAS is a group of studies with various follow-up intervals – please see the specific sections below for more detail.
- Supplementary Information
Marker Paper
Brayne C, McCracken C, Matthews FE; Medical Research Council Coginitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS). Cohort profile: the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS). International Journal of Epidemiology, 2006; 35(5): 1140-5.
PUBMED 16980700
Recruitment
- Recruitment Target
-
- Individuals
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 25,504
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 2,670
- Supplementary Information
-
Additional biological samples will be collected for CFAS II and CFAS Wales.
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
Timeline
Populations
The population is composed of all those aged 65 years and older on the index date of recruitment, living in the community, including institutions.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
-
65
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
-
- United Kingdom
- Territory
-
Liverpool, Cambridgeshire, Gwynedd, Newcastle, Nottingham and Oxford
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
-
- General population
- General Population
-
- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
-
Family Health Service Authority (FHSA) lists were used as the sampling frame.
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 13,004
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 2,670
- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
-
Baseline: 13 004 participants
Year 1 follow-up: 920 participants
Year 2 follow-up: 7175 participants
Year 3 follow-up: 590 participants
Year 5 follow-up: 1733 participants
Year 8 follow-up: 389 participants
Year 10 follow-up: 3145 participants
Year 12 follow-up: 188 participants
Year 14 follow-up: 131 participants
Year 16 follow-up: 95 participants
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
CFAS I - Baseline
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
1989 | 1993 |
| 1 |
CFAS I - Year 1 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
1990 | 1994 |
| 2 |
CFAS I - Year 2 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
1991 | 1995 |
| 3 |
CFAS I - Year 3 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
1992 | 1996 |
| 4 |
CFAS I - Year 5 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
1994 | 1998 |
| 5 |
CFAS I - Year 8 follow-up
|
At 8 years only those who had indicated an intention to donate brain tissue were re-interviewed. All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable ... |
1997 | 2001 |
| 6 |
CFAS I - Year 10 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
1999 | 2003 |
| 7 |
CFAS I - Year 12 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
2001 | 2005 |
| 8 |
CFAS I - Year 14 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
2003 | 2007 |
| 9 |
CFAS I - Year 16 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
2005 | 2008 |
The population is composed of all those aged 65 years and older on the index date of recruitment, living in the community, including institutions.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
-
65
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
-
- United Kingdom
- Territory
-
Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham and Cambridgeshire
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
-
- General population
- General Population
-
- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
-
Primary Care Trust (PCT) lists were used as the sampling frame. Any individuals previously included in the CFAS study was available for the new cohort study as this is a complete re-enumeration of the population and the last follow up was completed in 2008.
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 7,500
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
-
The number above is the target number of participants.
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
CFAS II - Baseline
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
2008 | 2011 |
| 1 |
CFAS II - Year 2 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
2011 | 2013 |
The population is composed of all those aged 65 years and older on the index date of recruitment, living in the community, including institutions.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
-
65
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
-
- United Kingdom
- Territory
-
Wales (Gwynedd and Swansea)
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
-
- General population
- General Population
-
- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
-
Primary Care Trust (PCT) lists were used as the sampling frame.
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 5,000
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
-
The number above is the target number of participants.
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
CFAS Wales - Baseline
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
2010 | 2012 |
| 1 |
CFAS Wales - Year 2 follow-up
|
All interviews were conducted in the respondent's place of residence, using portable computers with customized software. The screening interview contained questions on residence, ... |
2013 | 2016 |
Classifications
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Diseases
- Symptoms and signs
- Medication and supplements
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Health and community care services utilization
- Death
- Physical measures and assessments
- Laboratory measures
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Preschool, school and work life
- Social environment and relationships
- Physical environment
- Administrative information
- Cognitive functioning
- Personality
- Psychological distress and emotions
- Other psychological measures and assessments
- Life events
- Beliefs and values
- Perception of health
- Quality of life
- Life course development
- Functional limitations
- Other perception of health, quality of life and functional limitation-related information
Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Lifestyle and behaviours
Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
Diseases
Symptoms and signs
Medication and supplements
Non-pharmacological interventions
Health and community care services utilization
Death
Physical measures and assessments
Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
Preschool, school and work life
Social environment and relationships
Administrative information
Cognitive functioning
Personality
Beliefs and values
Quality of life
Functional limitations