Individual Study / LLS

For the Leiden Longevity Study, long-lived siblings of European descent were recruited together with their offspring and the partners of the offspring between 2002 and 2006. Families were recruited if at least two long-lived siblings were alive and fulfilled the age criterion of 89 years or older for males and 91 years or older for females, representing less than 0.5% of the Dutch population in 2001 (Schoenmaker et al 2006, doi: 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201508; Westendorp et al 2009, doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02381.x). In total 944 long-lived siblings were included with a mean age of 94 years (range 89-104), 1671 offspring (61 years, 34-81) and 744 partners (60 years, 30-79) as population based controls. It is family based study consists of 1671 offspring of 421 nonagenarians sibling pairs of Dutch descent, and their 744 partners. The dataset of the LLS IOP1 Partner Offspring consists of the 1671 offspring of nonagenarian siblings and their 744 partners from 421 families of whom we have physical measurements, biosamples, biomarkers, and questionnaire data. We followed this group of 2,415 middle-aged participants for their vital status till 2020, for their morbidity status till 2017.

From the group of 2,415 LLS PartnerOffspring that participated in the LLS between 2002 and 2006, 686 participants were examined for the second time between 2006 and 2008. In total 343 offspring and their partners (as couples living together) participated, with a mean age of 63 years. Of the 286 participants of the morning program, fasted blood was collected and serum/plasma was stored. Furthermore, skin replica’s and skin biopties were taken, from which viable fibroblasts were isolated and stored. The morning group was also subjected to an oral-glucose tolerance test. Of the 400 participants of the afternoon program, non-fasted blood was collected and serum/plasma and viable PBMCs were isolated and stored. The full blood was stimulated with LPS and cytokine levels were measured. From the majority of the total participants physical measures, DXA scan and standardized photographs of the face were taken, and all participants brought first morning void of urine which was stored.

From the group of 343 couples (Ntotal=686_ LLS PartnerOffspring that participated in the LLS between 2006 and 2008, 500 participants were examined for the third time between 2009 and 2010. In total 250 offspring-partners couples participated, with a mean age of 66 years. Fasted blood was drawn and serum/plasma and viable PBMCs were isolated and stored. All participant were subjected to cognitive tests (ACS-90, STROOP, Picture Word Learning test, LOT, Apathy scale, CES-D), and in 367 participants 3Tesla brain MRI scans were performed and of 341 participants CT-scan of abdomen was performed.