Brain and Cognitive Health Cohort Study

The BACH cohort study is a Monash University initiative that aims to make dementia preventable for future generations. By tracking a large group of adults over time with comprehensive and innovative assessments, the study aims to understand the health, lifestyle, psychological, and social factors that promote optimal brain health into old age.

About the study

Up to 40% of dementia cases are preventable. However, we do not fully understand the causes of dementia or know what strategies to recommend to help people maintain a sharp mind into old age. Our research suggests health and lifestyle can influence a person’s brain health up to 40 years into the future, and since there is no cure for dementia, research into risk and protective factors is critical.

We are seeking participants aged between 55-80 years of age, who are fluent in English with no major neurological illness, to complete in-person baseline testing and follow-up assessments three years later to examine changes in memory, and thinking, as well as biological changes relating to brain health and cognitive impairment.

Participation will involve the following:

Online psychological and health related assessments
A hospital visit involving, a blood test, a brain MRI, neuropsychological tasks, and an optional lumbar puncture
Activity and sleep monitoring, and blood pressure monitoring.
Full at-home sleep assessment

Help us make dementia a thing of the past.

Learn More

Recent Publications

Association of the Sleep Regularity Index With Incident Dementia and Brain Volume

Yiallourou, S. R., Cribb, L., Cavuoto, M. G., Rowsthorn, E., Nicolazzo, J., Gibson, M., ... & Pase, M. P. (2024). Association of the Sleep Regularity Index With Incident Dementia and Brain Volume. Neurology, 102(2)

Read
Association Between Slow-Wave Sleep Loss and Incident Dementia

Himali J, Baril AA, Cavuoto M, Yiallourou S, Wiedner C, Himali D, DeCarli C, Redline S, Beiser A, Seshadri S, Pase MP. JAMA Neurology. 2023 Oct 30:e233889. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.3889.

Read
Exploring the Potential Association Between Self-Reported Psychological Stress and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease in Midlife: A Cross-Sectional Study

Franks KH, Cribb L, Bransby L, Buckley R, Yassi N, Chong TT, Lim YY, Pase MP. J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2023 Sep 19;7(1):1025-1031. doi: 10.3233/ADR-230052.

Read
MRI Visible Perivascular Spaces and the Risk of Incident Mild Cognitive Impairment in a Community Sample

Pase MP, Pinheiro A, Rowsthorn E, Demissie S, Hurmez S, Aparicio HJ, Rodriguez-Lara F, Gonzales MM, Beiser A, DeCarli C, Seshadri S, Romero JR. J Alzheimers Dis. 2023;96(1):103-112. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230445.

Read
Associations of perceived stress and psychological resilience with cognition and a modifiable dementia risk score in middle-aged adults

Franks KH, Bransby L, Cribb L, Buckley R, Yassi N, Chong TT, Saling MM, Lim YY, Pase MP. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2023 Sep 18:gbad131. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbad131. Epub ahead of print.

Read
Sleep Architecture, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Cognitive Function in Adults

Pase MP, Harrison S, Misialek JR, Kline CE, Cavuoto M, Baril AA, Yiallourou S, Bisson A, Himali D, Leng Y, Yang Q, Seshadri S, Beiser A, Gottesman RF, Redline S, Lopez O, Lutsey PL, Yaffe K, Stone KL, Purcell SM, Himali JJ. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jul 3;6(7):e2325152. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.25152.

Read

See More Publications

Meet the team

**Associate Professor Matthew Pase**
Primary Investigator
Monash University

Matthew is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Monash University in Australia and an A/Prof of Epidemiology at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr Pase leads the Epidemiology of Dementia group at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health. His work is derived from large cohorts and clinical trials, where he investigates biomarkers as well as modifiable risk and protective factors for dementia and cognitive impairment. He is particularly interested in the role of vascular health, sleep, and brain inflammation in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular disease, cognitive impairment, and dementia. He also leads efforts to validate blood biomarkers for dementia diagnosis and prognosis.

Investigative Team