DataSet

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Participants are drawn from the entire population of intact, like-sexed pairs of twins 80 years and older in the Swedish Twin Registry. The first wave involved 351 pairs (149 identical and 202 same-sex fraternal). The second wave involved 235 pairs, the third involved 144 pairs, and the fourth involved 51 pairs. Participation rates are somewhat higher than original projections due to lower non-response and mortality rates than expected. The fifth wave of testing began recently. The twin pairs are followed longitudinally at 2-year intervals, using 5 measurements. In-person testing is conducted by registered nurses using a broad-based biobehavioral battery. The biomedical portion includes a battery of tests designed to assess general health status with a focus on measures sensitive to age changes which might serve as useful biomarkers of aging. The cognitive battery included domains of crystallized and fluid intelligence, memory, spatial ability, perceptual speed, problem solving, and verbal ability

The overall aim is to estimate the relative contributions of environmental and genetic influences to variability in late life in age-related variables of health, physical and cognitive functioning, interpersonal relations, personal control, life satisfaction and mental health. By using a genetically informative sample, the genetic and environmental bases of individual differences in late life health and functioning are addressed.

Institute of Gerontology, University College of Health Science, Jonkoping, Sweden

This is an ongoing study through 2003. Archiving of data is under discussion. A meeting in Sweden this summer is planned to explore particular issues raised by the rules and regulations of the Swedish Data Inspection Authority and the Swedish Twin Registry. Responding to individual requests for variance-covariance matrices and the like have been provided. This type of data may be posted on a website.

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