Professor Brayne’ group works primarily in ageing and neuropsychiatry which includes several longstanding cohort studies as well as collaborations with other ongoing ageing studies. These studies aim to explore natural history, risk and trajectories, and outcome analysis. The group is also part of the NIHR Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CLAHRC which aims to enhance translational and integration outputs of research with service.  These programmes are run jointly from the academic department and MRC BSU.

The MRC Cognitive Function and Ageing study (CFAS) is one of a number of research teams located within the Dept of Public Health and Primary Care which is based at the Institute of Public Health.

MRC CFAS is a longitudinal multi-centre centre study of ageing, comprising centres in Cambridge, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Liverpool and Gwynedd. Cambridge provides the administrative base for the study. CFAS II is underway with new cohorts being recruited in Cambridge, Newcastle, Nottingham, Gwynedd and Neath, Port Talbot.  The study team at Cambridge consists of a Principal Investigator Professor Carol Brayne, Study Coordinators, Data Managers, research Associates and research interviewers.

The Cambridge City over 75 cohort (CC75C) is a longstanding population based study of people aged 75 and over which has followed cognition, function, health and wellbeing since the mid eighties. Both the study and CFAS have bioresources which includes a brain donation arm.

EPIC Norfolk: this large population derived study in part of EPIC in Europe in which 500,000 people in midlife have been followed with nutritional and physical activity. The PIs are Professors Khaw (PHPC) and Wareham (MRC Epidemiology Unit). The Ageing and Neuropsychiatry Group are working closely with EPIC Norfolk in pilot work to enhance neurocognition, phenotyping of the population, both as baseline and as outcome.