Newcastle University

Qualifications

MA(Cantab), BMBCH (University of Oxford), MRCP, MRCGP

Research Interests

Population based studies, health/ageing in very old (85+) people

Current Work

Programme Manager for the Newcastle 85+ Study
In common with other high income countries, the UK is experiencing a marked change in the age structure of its population, characterised by increasing life expectancy and continuing growth in the older fraction of the population.
In May 2006 a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Institute for Ageing and Health at Newcastle University commenced a major study of health and ageing in the oldest old population (those aged 85 years and older). Funded by the UK Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and led by Professor Tom Kirkwood, 'The Newcastle 85+ Study' aimed to recruit a birth cohort of 800 85 year olds from Newcastle and North Tyneside and to follow the cohort until the last member has died (currently funded for 5 years, 2006-11).
The study aims to:
1. Assess, in detail, the spectrum of health in the oldest old.
2. Examine the associations of health trajectories and outcomes with biological, clinical and social factors as the cohort ages.
3. Identify factors which maintain health and independence.
4. Advance understanding of the biological nature of ageing.
Participants are visited in their own home by a research nurse to complete a series of in-depth interviews, functional tests and blood tests; assessments are conducted at baseline and at 18 and 36 months post baseline. In addition participants' general practice medical records are reviewed for data on disease, medication and use of general practice services at baseline and 36 months.
This is a groundbreaking study as relatively little is known about the health and needs of this age group, even though demographically it is the fastest growing in the UK and other high income countries. Teasing out the complex factors contributing to health in old age is a key challenge in planning for the health and care needs of today's and tomorrow's populations, in order to maximise health and quality of life in old age and minimise dependency. It is vitally important to understanding more about the ageing process, not only because of the huge social and medical implications of this population change, but also because for a very large proportion of medical conditions, age is the single largest risk factor.
Further details of the Newcastle 85+ Study protocol can be found in Collerton J, Barrass K, Bond J, Eccles M, Jagger C, James O, et al. The Newcastle 85+ study: biological, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with healthy ageing: study protocol. BMC Geriatrics 2007;7:14.

The GEHA (Genetics of Healthy Ageing) Study: This EU FP6 programme project brings together 15 research groups from 10 European partner countries to look at the genetics of healthy ageing. It is co-ordinated by Professor Claudio Franceschi at the University of Bologna, Italy. The primary aim of the GEHA Study is to identify genes involved in healthy ageing and longevity that allow individuals to survive to advanced old age in good cognitive and physical function and without major age-related disease. The secondary aims are to identify the genes which explain why women live longer than men and to develop mathematical and statistical models capable of combining genetic data with health, lifestyle and social data.
A total of 2800 sib pairs aged 90 and over and 2800 controls (60-75 year age range) will be recruited from the 10 partner countries. Detailed phenotypic data will be collected together with a blood sample for DNA. Detailed genetic analysis will be undertaken by specialised centres. The Newcastle group, led by Professor Tom Kirkwood, is one of the recruiting centres for this study and will contribute 150 sib pairs and 150 controls. The project will run for 5 years from May 2004.

Research Roles

Programme Manager

Funding

Domiciliary Echocardiography and BNP Measurement in the North East 85+ Study Pilot Project: British Heart Foundation, £39,325. 2003-2004

Cardiovasular Phenotyping in the Newcastle 85+ Study: British Heart Foundation, £261,326. 2008-2011.

Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders in the Newcastle 85+ Study cohort. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, £25,917. 2009-2011.

The Newcastle 85+ Study: supplementary funding. Dunhill Medical Trust, £100,000. 2009-2010

• Adamson AJ, Collerton J, Davies K, Foster E, Jagger C, Stamp E, Mathers JC, Kirkwood T, The Newcastle 85+ Core Study Team. Nutrition in advanced age: dietary assessment in the Newcastle 85+ Study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009, 63(S1), S6-S18.
• Collerton J, Martin-Ruiz C, Kenny A, Barrass K, Von Zglinicki T, Kirkwood T, Keavney B, Bond J, Eccles M, Jagger C, James O, Robinson L. Telomere length is associated with left ventricular function in the oldest old: The Newcastle 85+ study. European Heart Journal 2007, 28(2), 172-176.
• Collerton J, Collerton D, Arai Y, Barrass K, Eccles M, Jagger C, McKeith I, Saxby BK, Kirkwood T, Bond J, James O, Robinson L, Von Zglinicki T. A comparison of computerized and pencil-and-paper tasks in assessing cognitive function in community-dwelling older people in the Newcastle 85+ pilot study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2007, 55(10), 1630-1635.
• Collerton J, Barrass K, Bond J, Eccles M, Jagger C, James O, Martin-Ruiz C, Robinson L, Von Zglinicki T, Kirkwood T. The Newcastle 85+ study: Biological, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with healthy ageing: Study protocol. BMC Geriatrics 2007, 7(14).
• Hughes JC, Haimes E, Summerville L, Davies K, Collerton J, Kirkwood T. Consenting older adults: research as a virtuous relationship. In: Corrigan, O; McMillan, J Liddell, K; Richards, M; Weijer, C, ed. The Limits of Consent: A Socio-ethical Approach to Human Subject Research in Medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009, pp.133-150.
• Collerton J. Common Illnesses in General Practice. In: Stephenson, A, ed. A Textbook of General Practice. London, UK: Hodder Arnold, 2004.
• Booton P, Collerton J. Prescribing in General Practice. In: Stephenson, A, ed. A Textbook of General Practice. London, UK: Hodder Arnold, 2004.
• Collerton J, Booton P. The King's Medical Firm in the Community. In: Whitehouse C, Roland M, Campion P, ed. Teaching Medicine in the Community: A Guide for Undergraduate Education. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Stephenson A, Collerton J, White P. Teaching medical students about long term illness. Academic Medicine 1996, 71, 549-550.
• Collerton J, Martin-Ruiz C, Davies K, Hilkens CM, Isaacs J, Kolenda C, Parker C, Dunn M, Catt M, Jagger C, von Zglinicki T, Kirkwood TB. Frailty and the role of inflammation, immunosenescence and cellular ageing in the very old: Cross-sectional findings from the Newcastle 85+ Study. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 2012, 133(6), 456-466.
• Kingston A, Collerton J, Davies K, Bond J, Robinson L, Jagger C. Losing the Ability in Activities of Daily Living in the Oldest Old: A Hierarchic Disability Scale from the Newcastle 85+ Study. PLoS One 2012, 7(2), e31665.
• Yousef F, Collerton J, Kingston A, Kenny A, Davies K, Jagger C, Robinson L, Kirkwood TBL, Keavney B. Prevalence of left ventricular dysfunction in a UK community sample of very old people: the Newcastle 85+ study. Heart 2012, 98(19), 1418-1423.
• Jefferis JM, Collerton J, Taylor JP, Jagger c, Kingston A, Davies K, Kirkwood T, Clarke MP. The impact of visual impairment on mini-mental state examination scores in the Newcastle 85+ study. Age and Ageing 2012, 41(4), 565-568.
• Collerton J, Kingston A, Bond J, Davies K, Eccles MP, Jagger C, Kirkwood TBL, Newton JL. The Personal and Health Service Impact of Falls in 85 Years Olds: Cross-Sectional Findings from the Newcastle 85+ Cohort Study. PLoS One 2012, 7(3), e33078.
• Jagger C, Collerton JC, Davies K, Kingston A, Robinson LA, Eccles MP, von Zglinicki T, Martin-Ruiz C, James OFW, Kirkwood TBL, Bond J. Capability and dependency in the Newcastle 85+ cohort study. Projections of future care needs. BMC Geriatrics 2011, 11(1), 21.
• Yousaf F, Collerton J, Kenny A, Kirkwood T, Jagger C, Kingston A, Keavney B. High prevalence of undiagnosed cardiac dysfunction in the oldest old: Findings from the Newcastle 85+ Study. In: Heart: Annual Conference of the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS). 2011, Manchester, UK: BMJ Group.
• Kirkwood T, Martin-Ruiz C, Jagger C, Collerton J, Kingston A, von Zglinicki T. Biomarkers of ageing and their relationship to disability and cognition [abstract]. Gerontologist 2010, 50, 375.
• Jagger C, Collerton J, Robinson L, Eccles MP, Kingston A, von Zglinicki T, Kirkwood T, Bond J. Disability and dependency: How much care is in the community? [abstract]. Gerontologist 2010, 50(s1), 375-375.
• Davies K, Collerton JC, Jagger C, Bond J, Barker SA, Edwards J, Hughes J, Hunt JM, Robinson L. Engaging the oldest old in research: lessons from the Newcastle 85+ study. BMC Geriatrics 2010, 10, 64.
• Collerton J, Davies K, Jagger C, Kingston A, Bond J, Eccles MP, Robinson L, Kirkwood T. High levels of disease and health service use but good functional status and self-rated health are found in 85 year olds [abstract]. Gerontologist 2010, 50(s1), 375.