Sydney Memory and Ageing Study

New Direction in Research Comparing Brain Health of Twins

In 2021 OATS took advantage of technology with a move to an online platform, to reach twins residing outside of metropolitan areas.

The launch of OATS Online will not only enable the inclusion of 1/3 of Australian twins living outside major cities but will also facilitate the study of differences in access to specialist health care, health seeking behaviour and other potential contributors to the shortened lifespan of people living in regional and rural areas.

Commencing in 2007 to investigate genetic and environmental differences and how they relate to either healthy brain ageing or age-related neurocognitive disorders, the study takes advantage of the fact that identical twins share 100% of their genetic code, whereas non-identical twins share only approximately 50%. This means that twin studies provide a unique opportunity to identify which specific factors contribute, and which contribute the most, to health outcomes in older age.

Study Coordinator and Research Manager at CHeBA, Dr Vibeke Catts, said that advances in information technology – particularly the refinement of computer administered cognitive tests - now allows researchers to carry out comprehensive and valid neuropsychological assessments with twins in their own home, using an online computer environment. This is something that was not feasible when the study was first launched. Converting to an online platform will also likely lead to policy change and improvements in health care. The online version of the Older Australian Twins Study will retain a longitudinal design – which is a critical component in mapping progression to disorders of older age such as dementia - with planned neuropsychological assessments annually, as well as the collection of detailed lifestyle, mental activity, physical activity and dietary information. It will also continue to examine genetics.

Study Participants Shirley Holland and Pearly Hadaway

The Older Australian Twins Study Online is targeting recruitment of 1000 twin pairs for the online study with most participants expected to be healthy individuals living in the community.

To find out more contact twins@unsw.edu.au

Sydney Memory and Ageing Study

The Memory and Ageing Study (MAS) began in 2005 and officially concluded at the end of 2020, making it the largest running single cohort study of ageing in Australia.

MAS is renowned for its data nationally and internationally largely because the study has followed the same cohort (e.g., study participants) continuously for almost 15 years. In that time, researchers have gathered a wealth of data around sociodemographic, clinical, neuropsychological, neuroimaging, biochemical, genetics, and proteomics factors associated with brain ageing. Using many data points from the same participants allowed us to look at individual changes over time and better understand what factors predict healthy cognitive ageing versus neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.

MAS began in 2005 with a baseline sample of 1037 older Australians aged 70 – 90, without a dementia diagnosis at the time. Participants underwent extensive face-to-face assessments every two years (called a “Wave”), which included comprehensive neuropsychological testing, a medical examination, detailed medical history, blood draws, genetic sequencing, and for some participants, brain imaging. Participant and their informants (close friend or family member) were also asked to complete questionnaires about sociodemographic, health, lifestyle, and other factors at each Wave. In December of 2020, when MAS concluded, 258 original participants remained active in the study.

Although MAS is no longer actively testing participants it still contributes valuable data to research projects and student theses. To date, MAS data has contributed to 191 publications in in top-tier scientific journals, with 13 published in the last year alone. In 2021, 15 external research groups requested MAS data for new projects and MAS additionally contributed data to 7 international dementia and ageing consortia. There are currently 25 ILP, Honours, Masters and PhD candidates who are using MAS data as part of their research projects and theses.

Highlights from 2021:

• MAS Investigators and other internationally recognised experts completed and submitted an

NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohorts grant to refresh

the study (outcome pending). • MAS COVID-19 data was cleaned and shared with studies investigating the impact of the pandemic on older adults around the globe. • MAS Co-Investigators, PhD and Honours Students have created three novel measures of frailty using

MAS data that are now available for release. • MAS data contributed to 13 new manuscripts and 23 student theses. • MAS contributed data to 14 global dementia consortia projects in 2021. • By the end of 2021, all MAS Wave 7 data will be cleaned and released.

Staff

Professor Henry

Brodaty
Professor Perminder

Sachdev
Associate Professor

Wei Wen
Professor Julian Trollor
Professor Brian Draper
Dr Nicole Kochan
Dr Karen Mather
Dr John Crawford
Dr Ben Lam
Dr Katya Numbers

Dr Katya Numbers Study Coordinator

Students

Annabel Matison
Abdullah Alqarni
Russell Chander
Sophie Chen
Jared Cheung
Chao Dong
Dr Jing Du
Li Li
Premilla Chinnappa-

Quinn
Annette Spooner
Fleur Harrison
Fatemah Khorshidi
Dr Matthew Lennon
Nithin Manchery
Zara Page
Toyin Abdulsalam
Dr Mathew Paradise
Mary Revelas
Gurjeet Kaur Virk

Self-Reported Hearing Loss Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia

A six-year study of older Australians in CHeBA’s Sydney Memory and Ageing Study uncovered an Australianfirst association between the impact of hearing loss on cognitive abilities and increased risk for dementia. Lead author at Macquarie University’s Department of Cognitive Science, Dr Paul Strutt, said the findings provide new hope for a means of reducing risk of cognitive decline and dementia in individuals with hearing loss.

The research, published in Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, used data from 1037 Australian men and women aged 70-90 years enrolled in the Sydney Memory & Ageing Study from 2005-2017.

Individuals who reported moderate-to-severe hearing difficulties had poorer cognitive performances overall, particularly in the domains of Attention/Processing Speed and Visuospatial Ability. They also had a 1.5 times greater risk for MCI or dementia at the 6 years’ follow up. “The presence of hearing loss is an important consideration for neuropsychological case formulation in older adults with cognitive impairment.”

Dr Paul Strutt

“Hearing loss may increase cognitive load, resulting in observable cognitive impairment on neuropsychological testing.”

Co-Director of CHeBA and co-author, Professor Henry Brodaty, said the study was the first of its kind to identify the relationship between hearing loss and risk for mild cognitive impairment or dementia in a large Australianbased study of older adult men and women.

DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1857328

CHeBA’s Sydney Memory and Ageing Study is one of the largest continuously running studies of cognitive ageing in Australia with the aims of investigating rates and predictors of healthy cognitive ageing, mild cognitive impairment and dementia in older Australians.

An extraordinary 1,037 older adults have generously committed their time to this research for 15 years. One of these incredible people was Mrs Lilian Keldoulis.

Lilian was born in Sydney in 1931, the second daughter to Greek immigrant parents Betty and Mick Adams.

When Lilian passed away peacefully at home on Christmas Eve 2020, she left behind a multitude of memories across five adoring children (Debbie, Janet, Robert, Richard and John), 10 grandchildren, a greatgrandson and a large circle of friends, many of whom donated to research at CHeBA in lieu of flowers.

According to her children, v was fascinated by new research and ideas and was a strong advocate for education. She was always active, being a member at the Australian Golf Club for 50 years and a keen bridge player. These ideals and cognitive interests, coupled with her compassion for a much-loved cousin who suffered from dementia and ended up in a nursing home, are likely what prompted her to become a study participant with CHeBA.

Lead investigators of the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, Professor Henry Brodaty and Professor Perminder Sachdev, say that without people like Lilian and their families, CHeBA would not be able to conduct long-term research looking at healthy brain ageing.

Study Coordinator Dr Katya Numbers echoes this sentiment. “The fact that donations to CHeBA were given in lieu of flowers at Lilian’s funeral really speaks to her legacy as someone who wanted to give back and make a difference. I am very grateful to these individuals and their families who are invaluable to our research.

“The information learned through people like Lilian will contribute to many new and important findings for years to come.”

Dr Katya Numbers