The northern ireland cohort for the longitudinal study of aging

The National Institute on Aging awarded The Queen's University of Belfast $1,092,659 on September 1, 2026, under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) to support longitudinal follow-up of the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA).

The award funds completion of the third wave of NICOLA data collection and a second wave of detailed cognitive assessments using the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP-2). Wave 3 involves continued longitudinal follow-up of approximately 6,000 NICOLA participants, maintaining core assessment modules from previous waves while introducing new measures including fuel and food insecurity, environmental factors, and microbiome impact on health. The wave includes health assessments, interviews, and collection of biological samples (blood, urine, and faecal) from all participants attending health assessments for subsequent measurement and analysis.

The cohort investigates cognitive aging, Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's disease-related dementias, multimorbidity, and biological aging in older adults. The research addresses topics including social care needs and costs, frailty, digital inclusion, social isolation, loneliness, caregiving structures, physical and social environments, transportation, nutrition, and molecular biomarkers. Comparative analysis of aging trajectories across populations supports understanding of institutional and cultural influences on aging.

Performance occurs in Great Britain, United Kingdom. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2031.

Abstract

The overarching goal of this application is to support continued longitudinal follow-up of the northern ireland cohort for the longitudinal study of ageing (NICOLA), a deeply phenotyped population-based cohort investigating cognitive aging, alzheimer's disease (ad), alzheimer's disease-related dementias (ADRD), multimorbidity, and biological aging in older adults. Continued funding will support completion of the third wave of NICOLA data collection and a second wave of detailed cognitive assessments using the harmonized cognitive assessment protocol (HCAP-2). The application is largely driven by scientific priorities that are highly relevant to the US aging population, particularly ad, ADRD and age-related eye health conditions, aligning closely with the growing burden of chronic disease among US older adults. Other significant issues to be addressed include: social care needs and costs, frailty, digital inclusion, social isolation, loneliness, evolving family and caregiving structures, environment (i.e. physical, natural and social environments), transport, and societal and economic uncertainty. We are also leading in fields such as nutrition and molecular biomarkers. Comparisons of aging trajectories remain fundamental for understanding institutional and cultural influences, while continued data linkage and facilitated access will enhance the value of this data resource for researchers worldwide. The specific objectives of this application are to: 1) continue wave 3 longitudinal follow-up of on ~6,000 NICOLA participants, maintaining core modules from previous waves along with new measures including fuel and food insecurity and environmental and microbiome impact on health. Wave 3 includes a health assessment and interview including the collection of biological samples (blood, urine and faecal) from all participants who attend the health assessment, for subsequent measurement of T-cell function, inflammaging and microbiome analysis. 2) administer HCAP-2 to a subsample of 1,000 participants aged >65 years including those who participated in HCAP-1, to evaluate cognitive decline and ad/ADRD and facilitate collaboration across the HCAP network. We will collect and analyse blood-based markers of neurodegeneration from the HCAP sub-sample. 3) expand characterization of the exposome by compiling additional environmental data from open-sources for linkage to HCAP-2 data and wave 3 data. 4) continue to enhance scientific accessibility and reproducibility by archiving harmonized data and metadata within accessible data repositories, locally and internationally 5) extend linkage of NICOLA data with longitudinal health-related administrative datasets such as medications, hospitalisations. 6) facilitate harmonized international longitudinal analyses with international partner studies including the HRS, elsa and tilda and the wider global family of aging studies.