The Medical Research Council
Cognitive Function and Ageing Study

(MRC CFAS)

The Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (CFAS) is a large UK-based longitudinal multicentre study looking at the health and cognitive function of older people. The study started in the late 1980s with the initial aim of investigating dementia and cognitive decline in a representative sample of more than 18,000 people aged over 65 years.  The volume of data collected has also allowed the study to investigate depression and physical disability in the older population and also look at healthy active life expectancy. 

To date there have been in the region of 47,000 interviews with participants in the study.

The pages here aim to give a brief overview of the main aims and methods used. The study is explained more fully in the Research Information Section on this website, which gives detailed background to the study and outlines the current CFAS research themes.   The pages also describe how researchers can request CFAS data.

The anonymised data is not yet, and may never be, in the public domain but there is increasing use of the data to inform policy and scientific decisions as researchers work directly with our investigators around the country. A diagram showing the route for researchers interested in CFAS data can be seen on Requesting data.

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