Origin of Variances in the Oldest-Old: Octogenarian Twins (OCTO-Twin) Wave 2
The OCTO-Twin Study aims to investigate the etiology of individual differences among twin-pairs age 80 and older, on a range of domains including health and functional capacity, cognitive functioning, psychological well-being, personality and personal control. In the study, twin pairs were withdrawn from the Swedish Twin Registry. At the first wave, the twins had to be born 1913 or earlier and both partners in the pair had to accept participation. At baseline in 1991-94, 351 twin pairs (149 monozygotic and 202 like-sex dizygotic pairs) were investigated (mean age: 83.6 years and 67% were female). The two-year longitudinal follow-ups were conducted on all twins who were alive and agreed to participate. Data have been collected at five waves over a total of eight years.
In wave 2, 235 twin pairs participated, with a total of 568 individuals.
Refer to the description of wave 1/the base line and the individual datasets in the NEAR portal for more details on variable groups and individual variables.
Go to data source
https://neardb.near-aging.se/data-access-process
Citation and access
Citation and access
Data access level:
Creator/Principal investigator(s):
Research principal:
Data contains personal data:
Yes
Type of personal data:
Pseudonymised data related to mental and physical health, as well as socio-demographics and social relationships
Code key exists:
Yes
Sensitive personal data:
Yes
Citation:
Method and outcome
Method and outcome
Unit of analysis:
Population:
Twin pairs from the Swedish Twin Registry who were born 1913 or earlier and were at the age of 80 years at baseline.
Study design:
- Observational study
- Cohort study
- Cohort study: Prospective
Description of study design:
Longitudinal study
Time period(s) investigated:
Variables:
1001
Number of individuals/objects:
568
Data format/data structure:
Data collection - Measurements and tests
Data collection - Measurements and tests
Mode of collection:
Measurements and tests
Description of the mode of collection:
The participants were examined in their home settings by registered nurses. The participants also answered a number of self-administered surveys.
Time period(s) for data collection:
1993-05 - 1996-05
Data collector:
- University of Gothenburg
Opens a new window at ror.org.
ROR
Sample size:
568
Source of the data:
- Registers/Records/Accounts: Medical/Clinical
- Registers/Records/Accounts
Geographic coverage
Geographic coverage
Geographic location:
Administrative information
Administrative information
Responsible department/unit:
Department of Psychology
Identifiers
Identifiers
Ethical Review
Ethical Review
Reviewer:
- Other
Registration number:
S-005011-50
Ethical review information:
Approval of Assurance to Comply with 45 CFR 46. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, USA. Office for Protection from Research Risks. July 20, 1999. Accepted by the ethical committee of the Karolinska Institute
Topic and keywords
Topic and keywords
Swedish Standard Classification of Research Subjects 2025:
Keywords:
Relations
Relations
Related research data:
Publications
Publications
Link to publication list:
Citation:
Cadar, D., Piccinin, A. M., Hofer, S. M., Johansson, B., & Muniz-Terrera, G. (2016). Education, occupational class, and cognitive decline in preclinical dementia. In GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry (Vol. 29, Issue 1, pp. 5–15).
Citation:
Berg, A. I. (2008). Life satisfaction in late life: Markers and predictors of level and change among 80+ year olds [Doctoral thesis]. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg.
Handle:
ISBN:
Citation:
Wikby, A., Ferguson, G. F., Forsey, R., Thompson, J., Strindhall, J., Löfgren, S., Nilsson, B.-O., Ernerudh, J., Pawelec, G., & Johansson, B. (2005). An immune risk phenotype, cognitive impairment and survival in very late life: The impact of alostatic load in Swedish Octo- and Nongenarian humans. In The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 60, Issue 5 (pp. 556–565).
Citation:
McClearn, G. E., Johansson, B., Berg, S., Pedersen, N. L., Ahern, F., Petrill, S. A., et al. (1997). Substantial genetic influence on cognitive abilities in twins 80 or more years old. Science, 276, 1560-1563.
Citation:
Hassing, L. (2020). Gender Differences in the Association Between Leisure Activity in Adulthood and Cognitive Function in Old Age: A Prospective Longitudinal Population-Based Study. In The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences (Vol. 75, Issue 1, pp. 11-20).
SwePub:
Citation:
Johansson, B., Johansson, B., McClearn, G., & Pedersen, N. (2003). Health, biobehavioral functioning, and personality in the oldest-old: The Swedish OCTO-Twin Study. Presented at the 56th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, San Diego. In GERONTOLOGIST (Vol. 43, Special Issue 1, p. 507).
Citation:
Yoneda, T., Rush, J., Berg, A. I., Johansson, B., & Piccinin, A. (2017). Trajectories of Personality Traits Preceding Dementia Diagnosis. In The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences (Vol. 72, Issue 6, pp. 922–931).
SwePub:
Citation:
Hofer, S. M., Johansson, B., Berg, S., Pedersen, N. L., & McClearn, G. E. (2001). Changes in Cognitive Functioning in the Oldest-Old Twins : The Octo-Twin Study. Presented at the 54th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, Chicago. In GERONTOLOGIST (Vol. 41, Special Issue 1, p. ?).
Citation:
Nilsson, B.-O., Ernerudh, J., Johansson, B., Evring, P.-E., Löfgren, S., Ferguson, F. G., & Wikby, A. (2003). Morbidity does not influence the T-cell immune risk phenotype in the elderly : Findings in the Swedish NONA Immune Study using sample selection protocols. In Mechanisms of Ageing and Development (Vol. 124, Issue 4, pp. 469–476). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0047-6374(03)00024-1
