The Lothian Birth Cohort Studies
Encyclopedia
The Lothian birth-cohort studies comprise three Cohort
studies, combining research into psychology
, epidemiology
and geriatrics
.
, measured at age 11, and health outcomes in old age. The study comprises a cohort
of 551 adults born in the Lothian
region of Scotland
in 1921. Publications from the study have contributed to the new field of cognitive epidemiology
. One important finding from the LBC1921 study was that children with higher IQ scores at age 11 were not relatively better protected against cognitive decline in later life. Instead, they had better cogntitive ability in old age because of the high stability of intelligence
across the lifespan.
is larger than the 1921 cohort, and more detailed information was collected on those born in 1936.
, latterly as part of the Disconnected Mind project.
of the Department of Psychology at University of Edinburgh
directs the Lothian Birth Cohort Studies.
Cohort (statistics)
In statistics and demography, a cohort is a group of subjects who have shared a particular time together during a particular time span . Cohorts may be tracked over extended periods in a cohort study. The cohort can be modified by censoring, i.e...
studies, combining research into psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, epidemiology
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
and geriatrics
Geriatrics
Geriatrics is a sub-specialty of internal medicine and family medicine that focuses on health care of elderly people. It aims to promote health by preventing and treating diseases and disabilities in older adults. There is no set age at which patients may be under the care of a geriatrician, or...
.
Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1921
The original Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1921 investigated childhood intelligenceIntelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
, measured at age 11, and health outcomes in old age. The study comprises a cohort
Cohort
Cohort may refer to:* Cohort , a taxonomic term in biology* Cohort , a group of students working together through the same academic curriculum* Cohort , the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion...
of 551 adults born in the Lothian
Lothian
Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills....
region of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1921. Publications from the study have contributed to the new field of cognitive epidemiology
Cognitive epidemiology
Cognitive epidemiology is a field of research that examines the associations between intelligence test scores and health, more specifically morbidity and mortality. Typically, test scores are obtained at an early age, and compared to later morbidity and mortality...
. One important finding from the LBC1921 study was that children with higher IQ scores at age 11 were not relatively better protected against cognitive decline in later life. Instead, they had better cogntitive ability in old age because of the high stability of intelligence
Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
across the lifespan.
Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1936
The Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1936 is a similar cohort to the 1921 study, but involves 1091 participants who were born in 1936. The sample sizeSample size
Sample size determination is the act of choosing the number of observations to include in a statistical sample. The sample size is an important feature of any empirical study in which the goal is to make inferences about a population from a sample...
is larger than the 1921 cohort, and more detailed information was collected on those born in 1936.
The 36-day sample
1,208 people born during the first day of alternative months in 1936 took additional intelligence tests, and detailed information about the home environment. This additional data was taken for the following 16 years, and included home visits by a researcher.Aims and objectives
The Lothian Birth Cohort Studies can provide information about the determinants of cognitive decline, because they have available a measure of premorbid intelligence measured at age 11. They can also be used to provide information about health inequalities in old age, taking childhood factors into consideration.Funding
The LBC1921 study was funded by Several UK research funding councils and other agencies. The LBC1936 study is funded by Age UK and Help the AgedHelp the Aged
Help the Aged was a United Kingdom based, international charity, founded in 1961 by Cecil Jackson-Cole, to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. It merged with Age Concern in 2009 to form Age UK.-Organisation and campaigns:...
, latterly as part of the Disconnected Mind project.
Direction
Professor Ian DearyIan Deary
Ian J. Deary is a Scottish psychologist and Professor of Differential Psychology at the University of Edinburgh. Ian Deary is currently engaged in a 10-year study into the effects of ageing on mental ability using the 1932 Scottish Mental Survey funded by , entitled...
of the Department of Psychology at University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
directs the Lothian Birth Cohort Studies.