Memory and Ageing Study

Project Outlines and Aims

The Memory and Ageing Study is a large, population-based study looking at people aged 70 – 90 in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney (chosen because of proximity to the University). We collect information on people both with and without memory problems, and then follow them over time. We are hoping we may be able to identify some risk, or even protective factors against developing dementia. We are collecting information on our participants’ lifestyle, diet, education, physical and psychological health, as well as doing blood tests and brain scans. We are also investigating the effects on partcipant's informants (e.g. spouses, relatived). We have now finished recruitment of just over 1000 participants, and have commenced the 2 year follow up of people we first saw in 2005.

Potential Participants

For the Memory and Ageing Study, we directly contacted people by mail who are aged 70-90 and who are on the electoral roll in the suburbs of Bellevue Hill, Bronte, Bondi, Clovelly, Coogee, Darling Point, Edgecliff, Kensington, Paddington, Queen’s Park, Randwick, Tamarama, Watson’s Bay and Waverley. This is so we can get a broad “snapshot” of a community. If we only relied on people responding to an advertisement for example, we tend to get a biased sample: only those who are very keen on contributing because they either are very proud of how intact their memory is, or because they have real concerns about their memory and are seeking help and advice.

So at this stage, we are not taking volunteers who are not on our list of candidates which we sourced from the electoral roll. We thank you for your interest, and hope you understand that this is so we have a more scientifically sound study.

Investigators

Prof Henry Brodaty (Chief Investigator)
Prof Perminder Sachdev (Chief Investigator)
Prof Gavin Andrews
Prof Tony Broe
A/Prof Brian Draper
Ms Nicole Kochan
Prof Stephen Lord
Dr Simone Reppermund
Dr Julian Trollor
Dr Melissa Slavin
Dr Wei Wen

Research Psychologists

Joula Dekker
Emma Fox
Therese French
Sam Meeth
Carine Pose
Wiebke Queisser

Administrative Assistants

Michele DePermentier
Cathy Foster
Mary Johnston
Eveline Milne