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.
- Start Year
- 2007
Visit OATS
| Investigators | Contacts |
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Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Follow Up
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Participants are followed-up every 2 years for a full assessment (face-to-face), and for a brief telephone interview in each alternate year.
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 19943720
Recruitment
- Recruitment Target
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- Families
Number of Participants
- 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 |
Timeline
OATS 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
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
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- Australia
- Territory
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New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria
- Ethnic Origin
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- Health Status
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- Other Criteria
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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.
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
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- General population
- General Population
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- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
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Twins are being recruited through the Australian Twin Registry.
- Participants from Existing Studies
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Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- 623
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 580
- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
-
Baseline: 623 participants
2-year follow-up: 450 participants
4-year follow-up: ongoing
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
OATS - Baseline
|
Assessment may be performed in a clinic room or the participant's home, according to the convenience of the participant. Twins are interviewed separately with the co-twin being interviewed ... |
2007 | 2011 |
| 1 |
OATS - 2-year follow-up
|
Assessment may be performed in a clinic room or the participant's home, according to the convenience of the participant. Twins are interviewed separately with the co-twin being interviewed ... |
2009 | 2013 |
| 2 |
OATS - 4-year follow-up
|
Assessment may be performed in a clinic room or the participant's home, according to the convenience of the participant. Twins are interviewed separately with the co-twin being interviewed ... |
2011 | 2015 |
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
- Perception of health
- Quality of life
- Life course development
- Functional limitations
- Other perception of health, quality of life and functional limitation-related information
- Tobacco
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Nutrition
- Breastfeeding
- Physical activity
- Sleep
- Sexual behaviours and orientation
- Technological devices
- Misbehaviour and criminality
- Other and unspecified lifestyle 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
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
Quality of life
Functional limitations
Nutrition