Blog: The Brain Dialogues, filtered by tag: Twins Research

HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au Throughout history, twins have been a source of fascination and wonder – particularly the unique bond they share compared to other sibling relationships. Jan Rumery with her twin brother, John Day For academics, twins provide an invaluable source of information, because the similarity in their genetic code allows researchers to pull apart and examine genetic and environmental influences. Twin studies have been influential in the discovery and treatment of diseases and disorders. Researchers in CHeBA’s Older Australian Twins Study have delved into… Read More

Dr Amanda Selwood is relatively new to CHeBA; having had the unusual experience of commencing a new job without in-office contact. However, Dr Selwood has found a sense of belonging through engaging with CHeBA’s campaigns, in particular the #InThisTogether social media campaign which featured snapshots of CHeBA’s researchers sending messages of support to our study participants, colleagues and broader CHeBA community.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I completed my PhD in Cognitive Science at Macquarie University. I was looking at twin and sibling relationships and how… Read More

Twin research provides important clues to understanding cognitive decline in older adults and assists in the development of public health intervention strategies. Dr Vibeke Catts, Study Coordinator of CHeBA’s Older Australian Twins Study hopes to identify genetic changes between twins to identify the biological pathways for diseases such as dementia. This particular longitudinal study has brought together geneticists and researchers in neurospsychiatry of the elderly to examine key issues in cognitive ageing and dementia.    How did you get into researching the ageing brain? My former… Read More