MRC Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (MRC CFAS)

Aims
The MRC Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (MRC CFAS) began in the late 1980s with the initial aim of investigating dementia and cognitive decline in a representative sample of more than 18,000 people aged over 65 years. The study primarily aimed to find out how common dementia and associated conditions are in England and Wales and also, how many new cases of dementia develop each year. The range of information collected in the interviews has also allowed the study to also investigate depression and physical disability in the older population in addition to looking at healthy active life expectancy. MRC CFAS ran from 1989 – 2011. Having provided estimations of dementia occurrence for the UK, CFAS was increasingly asked to provide evidence on generational change in dementia, cognition and life expectancy by the government and the public, leading to its daughter studies, CFAS II & CFAS Wales.

Institution
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge

Geographic coverage - Nations
England, Wales

Geographic coverage - Regions
Cambridgeshire; Gwynedd; Newcastle; Nottingham; Oxford; Liverpool

Start date
1989

Catalogue record last updated
30/04/2025

Sample type
Cohort study

Sample details
Random samples of people in their 65th year and above were obtained from Family Health Service Authority lists from each centre. The sample was stratified by age group (65-74 years and 75 years and over) and equal numbers were randomly selected from each age group to produce an overall sample size of approximately 2500 people in each of the areas.

Sample size at recruitment
13,004 MRC CFAS 5,222 MRC ALPHA

Sample size at most recent sweep
905 (assessment interview)

Sex
All

Age at recruitment
65 years +

Cohort year of birth
Before 1924

Website
data.dpuk.ukserp.ac.uk/cohortdirectory/Item?fingerPrintID=CFAS

Related themes
Covid-19 data collection, Biomarkers, Cognitive measures, Cognitive decline, Diet and nutrition, Socioeconomic status and deprivation, Language and literacy, Loneliness and social isolation, Physical health assessment, Work and employment, Sleep problems, Social care - receipt, Social care - need