Edinburgh Imaging

04 June 19. LBC Wave 5 final scan

On the 28th May 2019, the final participant of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC-1936) 'Wave 5' study, was scanned at the Edinburgh Imaging Facility WGH.

LBC Wave 5 final scan
What is the Lothian Birth Cohort?

The Lothian Birth Cohorts of 1921 and 1936 are follow-up studies of the Scottish Mental Surveys of 1932 and 1947. The surveys had, respectively, tested the intelligence of almost every child born in 1921 or 1936 and attending school in Scotland in the month of June in those years. 

 

Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

On June 4, 1947, almost all 1936-born children attending Scottish schools were given the same Moray House Test that had been used in the Scottish Mental Survey 1932. Intelligence test data were obtained for 70,805 children: 35,809 boys and 34,996 girls. Scotland is the only country ever to have tested an entire year-of-birth in its population.

In 2006 the LBC 1936 team traced over 1,000 of the original 70,805 participants. Since then, they have been working with 1,091 original participants,  inviting them to undergo a series of thinking & memory tests, physical & medical assessments, questionnaires and MRI brain scans. 

This has offered a rare opportunity to examine the distribution and causes of cognitive ageing across most of the human life course.

 

Wave 5 study - our final participant 

On Wednesday 28th May 2019, the final participant received the last MRI scan, for the University of Edinburgh's LBC1936 Wave 5 study.

We took the opportunity to ask Eileen what she thought of the LBC 1936 study, and she said that 'it has been a wonderful thing to be a part of'.

I feel incredibly pleased to have played my part in helping scientists get a greater understanding of the ageing process and it's nice to know that the research may help others in the future.

EileenLast LBC1936 'Wave 5' participant to receive MRI Scan

 

 

LBC Wave 5 final scan

Eileen was hugely appreciative of all the staff involved in the study.

 

Well done to all those involved for the completion of Wave 5!