Duke Twins Study of Memory in Aging in the NAS-NRC Twin Registry

Brenda L. Plassman; David C. Steffens; James R. Burke; Kathleen A. Welsh-Bohmer; Tiffany N. Newman; Deborah Drosdick; Michael J. Helms; Guy G. Potter; John C. S. Breitner

doi:10.1375/twin.9.6.950

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The Duke Twins Study of Memory in Aging is an ongoing, longitudinal study of cognitive change and dementia in the population-based National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council (NAS-NRC) Twin Registry of World War II Male Veterans. The primary goal of this study has been to estimate the overall genetic and environmental contributions to dementia with a specific focus on Alzheimer's disease. An additional goal has been to examine specific genetic and environmental antecedents of cognitive decline and dementia. Since 1989, we have completed 4 waves of data collection. Each wave included a 2-phase telephone cognitive screening protocol, followed by an in-home standardized clinical assessment for those with suspected dementia. For many participants, we have obtained postmortem neuro-pathological confirmation of the diagnosis of dementia. In addition to data on cognition, we have also collected information on occupational history, medical history, medications and other lifetime experiences that may influence cognitive function in late life. We provide an overview of the study's methodology and describe the focus of recent research.

Crossref Citations

This article has been cited by the following publications. This list is generated based on data provided by Crossref.

Potter, Guy G. Helms, Michael J. Burke, James R. Steffens, David C. and Plassman, Brenda L. 2007. Job demands and dementia risk among male twin pairs. Alzheimer's & Dementia, Vol. 3, Issue. 3, p. 192.

Fillenbaum, Gerda G. van Belle, Gerald Morris, John C. Mohs, Richard C. Mirra, Suzanne S. Davis, Patricia C. Tariot, Pierre N. Silverman, Jeremy M. Clark, Christopher M. Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen A. and Heyman, Albert 2008. Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD): The first twenty years. Alzheimer's & Dementia, Vol. 4, Issue. 2, p. 96.

Carlson, Michelle C. Helms, Michael J. Steffens, David C. Burke, James R. Potter, Guy G. and Plassman, Brenda L. 2008. Midlife activity predicts risk of dementia in older male twin pairs. Alzheimer's & Dementia, Vol. 4, Issue. 5, p. 324.

McArdle, John J. and Plassman, Brenda L. 2009. A Biometric Latent Curve Analysis of Memory Decline in Older Men of the NAS-NRC Twin Registry. Behavior Genetics, Vol. 39, Issue. 5, p. 472.

Levin, Edward D. Aschner, Michael Heberlein, Ulrike Ruden, Douglas Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen A. Bartlett, Selena Berger, Karen Chen, Lang Corl, Ammon B. Eddins, Donnie French, Rachael Hayden, Kathleen M. Helmcke, Kirsten Hirsch, Helmut V.B. Linney, Elwood Lnenicka, Greg Page, Grier P. Possidente, Debra Possidente, Bernard and Kirshner, Annette 2009. Genetic aspects of behavioral neurotoxicology. NeuroToxicology, Vol. 30, Issue. 5, p. 741.

Potter, Guy G. Plassman, Brenda L. Burke, James R. Kabeto, Mohammed U. Langa, Kenneth M. Llewellyn, David J. Rogers, Mary A.M. and Steffens, David C. 2009. Cognitive performance and informant reports in the diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia in African Americans and whites. Alzheimer's & Dementia, Vol. 5, Issue. 6, p. 445.

Fisher, Gwenith G. Franks, Melissa M. Plassman, Brenda L. Brown, Stephanie L. Potter, Guy G. Llewellyn, David Rogers, Mary A. M. and Langa, Kenneth M. 2011. Caring for Individuals with Dementia and Cognitive Impairment, Not Dementia: Findings from the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 59, Issue. 3, p. 488.

Seshadri, Sudha Beiser, Alexa Au, Rhoda Wolf, Philip A. Evans, Denis A. Wilson, Robert S. Petersen, Ronald C. Knopman, David S. Rocca, Walter A. Kawas, Claudia H. Corrada, Maria M. Plassman, Brenda L. Langa, Kenneth M. and Chui, Helena C. 2011. Operationalizing diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease and other age‐related cognitive impairment—Part 2. Alzheimer's & Dementia, Vol. 7, Issue. 1, p. 35.

Cockburn, Andrew F Dehlin, Jonathan M Ngan, Tiffany Crout, Richard Boskovic, Goran Denvir, James Primerano, Donald Plassman, Brenda L Wu, Bei and Cuff, Christopher F 2012. High throughput DNA sequencing to detect differences in the subgingival plaque microbiome in elderly subjects with and without dementia. Investigative Genetics, Vol. 3, Issue. 1,

Gure, Tanya R. Langa, Kenneth M. Fisher, Gwenith G. Piette, John D. and Plassman, Brenda L. 2013. Functional Limitations in Older Adults Who Have Cognitive Impairment Without Dementia. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, Vol. 26, Issue. 2, p. 78.

Lee, Kyung Hee Wu, Bei and Plassman, Brenda L 2015. Dental care utilization among older adults with cognitive impairment in the USA. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, Vol. 15, Issue. 3, p. 255.

Gatz, Margaret Harris, Jennifer R Kaprio, Jaakko McGue, Matt Smith, Nicholas L Snieder, Harold Spiro, Avron and Butler, David A 2015. Cohort Profile: The National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council Twin Registry (NAS-NRC Twin Registry). International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 44, Issue. 3, p. 819.

Oh, Gabriel Ebrahimi, Sasha Wang, Sun-Chong Cortese, Rene Kaminsky, Zachary A. Gottesman, Irving I. Burke, James R. Plassman, Brenda L. and Petronis, Art 2016. Epigenetic assimilation in the aging human brain. Genome Biology, Vol. 17, Issue. 1,

Lee, Kyung Hee Plassman, Brenda L. Pan, Wei and Wu, Bei 2016. Mediation Effect of Oral Hygiene on the Relationship Between Cognitive Function and Oral Health in Older Adults. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, Vol. 42, Issue. 5, p. 30.

Gatz, Margaret Plassman, Brenda L. Tanner, Caroline M. Goldman, Samuel M. Swan, Gary E. Chanti-Ketterl, Marianne Walters, Ellen E. and Butler, David A. 2019. The NAS-NRC Twin Registry and Duke Twins Study of Memory in Aging: An Update. Twin Research and Human Genetics, Vol. 22, Issue. 6, p. 757.

Steffens, D. C. Garrett, M. E. Soldano, K. L. McQuoid, D. R. Ashley-Koch, A. E. and Potter, G. G. 2020. Genome-wide screen to identify genetic loci associated with cognitive decline in late-life depression. International Psychogeriatrics, p. 1.

Plassman, Brenda L. Chanti‐Ketterl, Marianne Pieper, Carl F. and Yaffe, Kristine 2022. Traumatic brain injury and dementia risk in male veteran older twins—Controlling for genetic and early life non‐genetic factors. Alzheimer's & Dementia, Vol. 18, Issue. 11, p. 2234.

Luczak, Susan E. Beam, Christopher R. Pahlen, Shandell Lynch, Morgan Pilgrim, Matthew Reynolds, Chandra A. Panizzon, Matthew S. Catts, Vibeke S. Christensen, Kaare Finkel, Deborah Franz, Carol E. Kremen, William S. Lee, Teresa McGue, Matt Nygaard, Marianne Plassman, Brenda L. Whitfield, Keith E. Pedersen, Nancy L. and Gatz, Margaret 2023. Remember this: Age moderation of genetic and environmental contributions to verbal episodic memory from midlife through late adulthood. Intelligence, Vol. 99, Issue. , p. 101759.

Giacona, John M. Bates, Brooke M. Sundaram, Venkatraghavan Brinker, Stephanie Moss, Elizabeth Paspula, Raja Kassa, Sentayehu Zhang, Rong Ahn, Chul Zhang, Song Basit, Mujeeb Burkhalter, Lorrie Cullum, C. Munro Carlew, Anne Kelley, Brendan J. Plassman, Brenda L. Vazquez, Miguel and Vongpatanasin, Wanpen 2024. Preventing cognitive decline by reducing BP target (PCOT): A randomized, pragmatic, multi-health systems clinical trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials, Vol. 138, Issue. , p. 107443.

Article contents

Duke Twins Study of Memory in Aging in the NAS-NRC Twin Registry

Abstract

Save article to Kindle

Save article to Dropbox

Save article to Google Drive

Reply to: Submit a response

Your details

You have entered the maximum number of contributors

Conflicting interests