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Method

Sydney residents aged 95 and above participated in the study. Participants were interviewed at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and at every subsequent 12 month interval. Data collected included: medical history, family medical history, cognition, medications, mental health, subjective memory complaints, falls history, diet, physical activity, social integration and social cognition.

An informant, someone who knows the participant well, was invited to provide information about the participants cognition, health, self-care needs and degree of functional independence.

Participants were also invited to provide a blood sample for genetics, epigenetics and clinical chemistry analysis. Participants were invited to undergo brain imaging (MRI) and enrol in our brain donation program.

Progress

The study included 445 participants aged 95 and above from the East, Inner West and Inner South of Sydney. At least 265 participants reached the age of 100 or older, including one super-centenarian who reached 110 years of age. 71% of the participants were female, mean age at baseline was 97.4 years, age range at baseline was 95.02-106.3 years. 26% of participants were from a non-English speaking background. 39% of participants were living in aged care with 60% of those in aged care living in high-care accommodation. 35% of participants met criteria for dementia, although only 23% of male participants.

The majority of participants were mobile with 64% able to walk at least a short distance. 23% required assistance with eating and/or special preparation of food. 42% required some level of assistance with getting dressed and 47% with grooming. 38% required assistance with bathing. Prevalence of psychological distress was consistent with the general population and satisfaction with life was high.

64% of participants have provided a blood sample for our genetics work. We are examining polygenic risk scores, gene expression including non-coding RNA, DNA methylation, and whole genome sequencing.

10% of participants have undergone structural brain imaging (MRI). SCS participants, the ‘oldest old’, have been compared to ‘younger old’. The greatest loss of brain volume at advanced age was in the medial temporal lobe (including the hippocampus) and parietal and occipital cortices, indicating that the “tempero-posterior” regions of the brain are particularly vulnerable to exceptional longevity. White matter hyperintensities (WMH) were found in almost all SCS participants. The relationship of age with WMHs was examined and found to be stronger at older age, suggesting that WMH accumulation accelerates with advancing age.

Data access

The SCS is a member of the International Centenarian Consortium of Dementia (ICC-Dementia), an international collaboration of eighteen similar studies across Asia, the Americas and Europe. The group seeks to harmonise data from these studies across diverse ethno-racial and sociocultural groups to describe the cognitive, functional and psychological profiles of centenarians and near-centenarians.

The SCS also shares data and biological samples provided by our participants with other research groups, both at other universities, research institutes and commercial companies. Data sharing occurs via application to the CHeBA Research Bank and involves a review for scientific rigour by the SCS Governance Committee. Sharing enhances the possibility of science and/or medical breakthroughs and increases the chance that preventative and interventional therapies will be applied broadly in the wider community.