Mohammed T. Abou-Saleh

Principles and Practice of Geriatric Psychiatry.Editors: Professor John R. M. Copeland, Dr Mohammed T. Abou-Saleh and Professor Dan G. BlazerCopyright & 2002 John Wiley & Sons LtdPrint ISBN 0-471-98197-4 Online ISBN 0-470-84641-0202 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRYMRC/DoH Cognitive Function and Ageing StudyJ. Nickson, C. F. M. McCracken and C. Brayne, on behalf of MRC CFASUniversity of Cambridge, Cambridge, UKThe MRC Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (MRC CFAS) isa multi-centre prospective cohort study, set up in 1989 and fundedby the MRC and Department of Health (DoH).AIMSCFAS aims to estimate the prevalence and incidence ofcognitive decline and dementia and geographical variation; todetermine the natural history of dementia, in particular the rateof progression of cognitive decline, including the distribution ofthe interval between identification of cognitive impairment anddeath; to identify factors associated with differing rates ofcognitive decline and with the risk of dementia; to determinethe contribution of different underlying pathologies to rates ofdementia, geographical variation and burden of disability; toevaluate the degree of disability associated with cognitivedecline and service needs generated; to set up a brain andblood resource; and to provide a framework to support substudies.METHODOLOGYThe study has five methodologically identical centres (Cambridge,Gwynedd, Newcastle, Nottingham and Oxford) and oneFigure 1.MRC CFAS: methodology (five identical centres). +Declaration of intent (DoI) to donate brain at post mortem. *Informant interview