University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive Ageing & Cognitive Epidemiology supported by BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC and MRC

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Cognitive ageing and cognitive epidemiologyProfessor Ian Deary, Director of the University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology.We aim to: (1) identify the risk factors for, and mechanisms of, individual differences in age-related cognitive decline; and (2) try to understand why prior cognitive ability-even from childhood-is associated with health and survival in later life.People differ greatly in the degree to which their brains, and the rest of their bodies, decline with age. Cognitive ageing is complex: there is little age-related decline in some mental functions-such as vocabulary, some numerical skills, and general knowledge-but other mental capabilities decline from middle age onwards, or even earlier. Mental competence is necessary for carrying out everyday activities, living independently, and for general health and wellbeing, and mental capability itself is a causative factor in adult health, especially in old age. Low levels of mental ability, even from early life, and any age-related cognitive decline, are important risk factors for premature illness and death.We don‘t fully understand the biological foundations of cognitive ageing, and we don‘t fully understand why human intelligence is linked to later health and wellbeing. The Centre is devoted to adding new, practically-useful knowledge to help reduce this ignorance.