Investigating the relationship between telomere length and cognitive function

Telomere length, a key determinant of cell ageing, demonstrates positive associations with
cognitive function and brain volumes. We aim to explore the extent to which shared
environmental and genetic factors contribute to this relationship using twin modelling. We
will then test if telomere length can predict, or is causally related to, age-related cognitive
decline in 9,000 older adults using longitudinal modelling and population genetic methods.
Finally, we will explore how telomere length impacts on the brain by testing its association
with specific subfields of the hippocampus, using neuroimaging genetic methods applied to
UK Biobank data.