Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia

Summary

Participation Requirements

Description

The Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study was initiated in 1998 with the main scope of investigating the potential role of modifiable risk and protective factors in the development of dementia. 2000 people, who, in mid-life between 1972 and 1987, had taken part in the North K...

The Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study was initiated in 1998 with the main scope of investigating the potential role of modifiable risk and protective factors in the development of dementia. 2000 people, who, in mid-life between 1972 and 1987, had taken part in the North Karelia, and FINMONICA survey studies, were invited to participate. These previous cohort studies focused mostly on cardiovascular disease and related risk factors and provided baseline data for the CAIDE study. Within CAIDE, two follow-ups have been carried out so far, the first in 1998 and the second between 2005 and 2008, on average 21 and more than 30 years after the baseline studies, respectively. The CAIDE study has, so far, provided essential knowledge on several midlife risk and protective factors for dementia, including interactions between genetics and lifestyle. In addition, the CAIDE Dementia Risk Score was developed as the first tool for predicting the risk of late-life dementia in middle-aged people, based on their lifestyle and cardiovascular risk profiles. Ten years after the second re-examination, the CAIDE participants are now well in their middle 80s' or older. Despite being the fastest growing segment of the population, this age group has been only rarely the subject of similar observational studies. By investigating the health status, quality of life, and overall psycho-physical functionality in this population the investigators aim to further examine risk and protective factors for dementia. To this aim, a life-course approach will be applied on a unique longitudinal population-based dataset spanning over 40 years, a very long period of time that is rarely achievable in observational studies. The results will also provide insights on the predictors and determinants of quality of life and psychosocial wellbeing in the oldest old. CAIDE85+ is the third follow-up of the main CAIDE study. At baseline (midlife), data on e.g. socio-demographics, lifestyle, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, blood markers, and medical history were recorded. In addition, the first and second late-life re-examinations included cognitive assessments (three-step protocol for the diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment and dementia), APOE?4 genotyping, and more detailed data on psychosocial factors, and medication use. In principle, the same measurements and methods will be used in CAIDE 85+, except for modifications/adaptations required by the specifics of the 85+ study population, or recent scientific developments related to the aims of the study. New developments compared with previous re-examinations include e.g. single-step assessment of cognitive status for all participants; more detailed assessment of physical functioning, multimorbidity and frailty; inclusion of questionnaires on oral health, sleep quality, malnutrition, and health-related quality of life. Potential participants will be identified within the original CAIDE cohort, i.e. individuals who are still alive and living in the area where the study takes place (Kuopio and Joensuu, Finland).

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