Prof. Kaarin Anstey
Director, UNSW Ageing Futures Institute | University of New South Wales
Canberra, AUSTRALIA
Psychology and neuroscience expert exploring the epidemiology of cognition and dementia
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Biography
Professor Kaarin Anstey is an ARC Laureate Fellow and Director of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, and a Senior Principal Research Scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia. Anstey is also Chair of the International Research Network on Dementia
Prevention. Anstey’s research programs focus on the causes, consequences and prevention of cognitive ageing, dementia, and common mental disorders in adulthood. She leads the PATH Through Life cohort study that has followed a population-based sample for 20 years to examine risk and protective factors for cognitive decline and dementia, mental health and healthy ageing. Anstey led development of the ANU-ADRI risk score for Alzheimer’s disease and is an investigator on several multi-domain dementia risk reduction trials. Kaarin’s second area of research focusses on how cognitive and sensory ageing impact driving in older adults. In this sphere Anstey is leading studies to improve older driver skills and to understand how cognitive decline affects driving abilities. Kaarin has worked with the WHO in the area of dementia, and is a member of the Governance Committee of the Global Council on Brain Health.
Areas of Expertise (13)
Developmental Psychology and Ageing
Public Health and Health Services
Geriatrics and Gerontology
Fostering Healthy Ageing
Cognitive Sciences
Health Promotion
Cognitive Reserve
Aged Health Care
Neurosciences
Mental Health
Epidemiology
Older Drivers
Psychology
Education (2)
University of Queensland, University of Sydney: PhD, Psychology 1997
University of Sydney: BA, Psychology 1991
Affiliations (4)
- Dementia Collaborative Research Centre - Early Diagnosis and Prevention: Director
- NeuRA: Senior Principal Research Scientist
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing: Deputy Director
- NHMRC Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration: Director
Links (3)
Media Appearances (6)
Moderate drinking may improve cognitive health for older adults, study says
CNN online
2020-07-01
"There is now a lot of observational evidence showing that light to moderate alcohol drinking is associated with better cognitive function and a lower risk of dementia compared with alcohol abstaining," said senior principal research scientist Kaarin Anstey, a director of the NHMRC Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration in Australia, who was not involved in the study.
Should older drivers be tested more?
YourLifeChoices online
2020-06-22
“While the road toll is decreasing in Australia on average, deaths among older Australians are actually increasing,” UNSW Ageing Futures Institute director and NeuRA senior principal research scientist Professor Kaarin Anstey told The New Daily.
MIND diet may protect you from dementia
Knowridge Science Report online
2019-03-08
This is the first study outside of the United States showing that the MIND diet reduces the risk of dementia. The lead author of the study is Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey, Director of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute.
Keen to improve your memory? It might be as simple as ABC, expert explains
ABC News online
2016-02-29
Many of us have first-hand experience with the frustrations of memory lapses, and it's not unusual to be concerned that they are a sign of something sinister. But Professor Kaarin Anstey says most memory lapses are a normal part of the ageing process...
From pollution to caffeine intake: Researcher reveals dementia risks.
Science Daily print
2016-08-01
Dementia strikes 47 million people worldwide. Yet scientists are still urgently trying to find why the disease affects some but not others. Among the findings from the latest research are that eating a large amount of fatty foods and living in a polluted area may increase dementia risk, whereas taking regular exercise and keeping cholesterol at healthy levels may lower risk.
The science of defying death
Australian Geographic print
2016-06-13
Scientists are working against the clock to discover how we can live longer, healthier lives – and how we might one day defeat the most common causes of death.
Featured Articles (9)
Validation of Brief Screening Tools to Identify Impaired Driving Among Older Adults in Australia
JAMA Network Open
Kaarin J Anstey, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Md Hamidul Huque, Mark Horswill, Kim Kiely, Alex Black, Joanne Wood
2020 These findings suggest that off-road screening tests can reliably identify older drivers with a strong probability of failing an on-road driving test.
Future Directions for Dementia Risk Reduction and Prevention Research: An International Research Network on Dementia Prevention Consensus
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Kaarin J Anstey, Ruth Peters, Lidan Zheng, Deborah E Barnes, Carol Brayne, Henry Brodaty, John Chalmers, Linda Clare, Roger A Dixon, Hiroko Dodge, Nicola T Lautenschlager, Laura Middleton, Chengxuan Qiu, Glenn Rees, Suzana Shahar, Kristine Yaffe
2020 Drawing on recent integrative reviews and a consensus workshop, the International Research Network on Dementia Prevention developed a consensus statement on priorities for future research.
An Internet-Based Intervention Augmented With a Diet and Physical Activity Consultation to Decrease the Risk of Dementia in At-Risk Adults in a Primary Care Setting
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Kaarin J Anstey, Nicolas Cherbuin, Sarang Kim, Mitchell McMaster, Catherine D'Este, Nicola Lautenschlager, George Rebok, Ian McRae, Susan J Torres, Kay L Cox, Constance Dimity Pond
2020 This study aims to evaluate a multidomain dementia risk reduction intervention, Body Brain Life in General Practice (BBL-GP), targeting at-risk adults in primary care.
A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses that Evaluate Risk Factors for Dementia to Evaluate the Quantity, Quality, and Global Representativeness of Evidence
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Kaarin J Anstey, Nicole Ee, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Carol Jagger, Ruth Peters
2019 To evaluate the quantity, quality, and representativeness of evidence, we conducted a review of reviews of risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Vascular dementia (VaD), and Any Dementia.
Effect of tailored on-road driving lessons on driving safety in older adults: A randomised controlled trial
Accident Analysis & Prevention
Kaarin J Anstey, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Kim M Kiely, Jasmine Price
2018 We evaluated the effectiveness of individually tailored driving lessons compared with a road rules refresher course for improving older driver safety.
Bridging the Translation Gap: From Dementia Risk Assessment to Advice on Risk Reduction
Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease
Kaarin J Anstey, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Diane E Hosking, Nicola T Lautenschlager, Roger A Dixon
2015 This narrative review provides capsule summaries of current evidence for 25 risk and protective factors associated with AD and dementia according to domains including biomarkers, demographic, lifestyle, medical, and environment.
Body brain life: A randomized controlled trial of an online dementia risk reduction intervention in middle-aged adults at risk of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions
Kaarin J Anstey, Alex Bahar‐Fuchs, Pushpani Herath, Sarang Kim, Richard Burns, George W Rebok, Nicolas Cherbuin
2015 To examine the efficacy of body brain life (BBL), a 12-week online dementia risk reduction intervention [was performed].
The influence of smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity on cognitive impairment free life expectancy
International Journal of Epidemiology
Kaarin J Anstey, Andrew Kingston, Kim M Kiely, Mary A Luszcz, Paul Mitchell, Carol Jagger
2014 Smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity are risk factors for mortality and dementia. However, their impact on cognitive impairment-free life expectancy (CIFLE) has not previously been estimated.
A self-report risk index to predict occurrence of dementia in three independent cohorts of older adults: the ANU-ADRI
PLoS One
Kaarin J Anstey, Nicolas Cherbuin, Pushpani M Herath, Chengxuan Qiu, Lewis H Kuller, Oscar L Lopez, Robert S Wilson, Laura Fratiglioni
2014 We aimed to evaluate the extent to which the ANU-ADRI can predict the risk of AD in older adults and to compare the ANU-ADRI to the dementia risk index developed from the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study for middle-aged cohorts.
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