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The Oregon brain aging study: neuropathology accompanying healthy aging in the oldest old
Green MS, Kaye JA, Ball MJ.. Neurology, 2000-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To describe the relationship between neuropathologic aging and longitudinal measures of cognitive function in healthy oldest old individuals. Methods Nondemented individuals without cardiovascular or other age-associated diseases of age > or =85 years were followed until death. Regional postmortem measures of senile plaque (SP) and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) severity were examined in relationship to clinical status, cognitive measures, and rate of cognitive change.
Key findings
- Methods Nondemented individuals without cardiovascular or other age-associated diseases of age > or =85 years were followed until death.
- Regional postmortem measures of senile plaque (SP) and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) severity were examined in relationship to clinical status, cognitive measures, and rate of cognitive change.
- Results Among 19 healthy individuals, 10 became demented or had incipient dementia develop.
- Clinical status and rate of change in cognitive scores correlated with increasing brain lesion burden, particularly in neocortical regions.
Why it matters
This longitudinal study followed nondemented people aged 85 and over until death and related brain plaque and tangle severity to cognitive measures. It describes how brain changes accompany aging, not how to treat, cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2000 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 154 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.5 citations a year over 28 year(s) since 2000 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 22 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Melvyn J. Ball: h-index 43 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Oregon Health & Science University: institution h-index 1,025 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10636134) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Green, M. S., Kaye, J. A., & Ball, M. J. (2000). The Oregon brain aging study: neuropathology accompanying healthy aging in the oldest old. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.54.1.105
Vancouver
Green MS, Kaye JA, Ball MJ. The Oregon brain aging study: neuropathology accompanying healthy aging in the oldest old. Neurology. 2000. doi:10.1212/wnl.54.1.105. PMID: 10636134.
BibTeX
@article{green2000-10636134,
author = {Green, M. S. and Kaye, J. A. and Ball, M. J.},
title = {{The Oregon brain aging study: neuropathology accompanying healthy aging in the oldest old}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.54.1.105},
pmid = {10636134},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.54.1.105}
}
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