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The Nun
Study is a longitudinal study of aging and Alzheimer's disease
funded by the National Institute on Aging and directed by Dr. David
Snowdon, Professor of Neurology at the University of Kentucky's College
of Medicine. Participants are 678 American members of the School Sisters
of Notre Dame religious congregation who are 75 to 106 years of age.
Over 85 percent of these participants were teachers. Participants
in the Nun Study include women representing a wide range of function
and health, from sisters in their 90s who are highly functional with
full-time jobs to sisters in their 70s who are severely disabled,
unable to communicate, and bed-bound. The goal of the Nun Study is
to determine the causes and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, other
brain diseases, and the mental and physical disability associated
with old age.
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Each of the Study’s
participants have agreed to participate in annual assessments of their
cognitive and physical function, medical exams, blood drawing for
genetic and nutritional studies, and brain donation at death for neuropathologic
studies. The Nun Study represents the largest brain donor population
in the world. In addition, the sisters have given investigators full
access to their convent and medical records.
The sisters continuing commitment to participate in the process of
lifelong learning has brought them to the cutting edge of educational
research. Well beyond |
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the traditional retirement
years, they participate
in the ongoing mission of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Just
as their younger counterparts are involved in teaching, health care,
and service with the poor, they strive to promote human dignity
and to enable people to reach the full potential of their God-given
gifts.
In Spring 2007 we received news that the grant funding The Nun Study
had ended. While annual assesments of the study participants will
end, the brain donation program will continue. In addtion, a genetic
library of participants will be developed and other scientific studies
using The Study will continue.
Aging
with Grace (Bantam Books, 2001) tells the story of Dr. Snowden
and his relationship with the Nun Study participants. |
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