Authors
Kathryn Ellis, The University of Melbourne
Ashley Bush, The University of Melbourne
David Darby, The University of Melbourne
Daniel De Fazio, The University of Melbourne
Jonathan Foster, Edith Cowan University
Peter Hudson, CSIRO, Parkville, Victoria
Nicola Lautenschlager, University of Melbourne
Nat Lenzo, Edith Cowan University
Ralph Martins, Edith Cowan University
Paul Maruff, University of Melbourne
Colin Masters, University of Melbourne
Andrew Milner, Neurosciences Australia, Parkville, Victoria
Kevin Pike, University of Melbourne
Christopher Rowe, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria
Greg Savage, Macquarie University
Cassandra Szoeke, CSIRO
Kevin Taddei, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Victor Villemagne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, V
Michael Woodward, Austin Health, Heidelberg, V
David Ames, University of Melbourne
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Science
RAS ID
8587
Abstract
Background: The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) flagship study of aging aimed to recruit 1000 individuals aged over 60 to assist with prospective research into Alzheimer's disease (AD). This paper describes the recruitment of the cohort and gives information about the study methodology, baseline demography, diagnoses, medical comorbidities, medication use, and cognitive function of the participants. Methods: Volunteers underwent a screening interview, had comprehensive cognitive testing, gave 80 ml of blood, and completed health and lifestyle questionnaires. One quarter of the sample also underwent amyloid PET brain imaging with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB PET) and MRI brain imaging, and a subgroup of 10% had ActiGraph activity monitoring and body composition scanning. Results: A total of 1166 volunteers were recruited, 54 of whom were excluded from further study due to comorbid disorders which could affect cognition or because of withdrawal of consent. Participants with AD (211) had neuropsychological profiles which were consistent with AD, and were more impaired than participants with mild cognitive impairment (133) or healthy controls (768), who performed within expected norms for age on neuropsychological testing. PiB PET scans were performed on 287 participants, 100 had DEXA scans and 91 participated in ActiGraph monitoring. Conclusion: The participants comprising the AIBL cohort represent a group of highly motivated and well-characterized individuals who represent a unique resource for the study of AD. They will be reassessed at 18-month intervals in order to determine the predictive utility of various biomarkers, cognitive parameters and lifestyle factors as indicators of AD, and as predictors of future cognitive decline.
DOI
10.1017/S1041610209009405
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of: Ellis, K., Bush, A., Darby, D., De Fazio, D., Foster, J. K., Hudson, P., Lautenschlager, N., Lenzo, N. , Martins, R. N., Maruff, P., Masters, C., Milner, A., Pike, K., Rowe, C., Savage, G., Szoeke, C., Taddei, K. , Villemagne, V., Woodward, M., Ames, D., & AIBL Research Group. (2009). The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study of aging: methodology and baseline characteristics of 1112 individuals recruited for a longitudinal study of Alzheimer's disease. International Psychogeriatrics, 21(4), 672-687. Available here
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