2025

Crimmins E, Hernandez B, Potter C, Kim JK, Higgins-Chen AT, Kenny RA, O’Halloran AM, Smyth LJ, Hill C, Fiorito G, Faul JD, McGuinness B, McKnight A, McCrory C. (2025). Epigenetic clocks relate to four age-related health outcomes similarly across three countries. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glaf036

Hill C, Smyth L, Kilner J, Quinn K, Scott A, Neville C, Kee F, McGuinness B, McKnight A. (2025). Telomere length measures in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA). BMC Research Notes, 18:359. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07393-y

Lopack ET, Hernandez B, Potter C, Faul JD, Hill C, Smyth L, Mitchell C, McCrory C, Kenny RA, McKnight AJ, McGuinness B, Crimmins EM. (2025). Remarkable concordance in associations between epigenetic clocks and health behaviours across three countries. Social Science & Medicine, 381:118287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118287

Glover S, Illyuk J, Hill C, McGuinness B, McKnight AJ, Hunter RF. (2025). A systematic review of associations between the environment, DNA methylation, and cognition. Environmental Epigenetics, 11(1):dvae027. https://doi.org/10.1093/eep/dvae027

Küçükali H, Garcia L, Avila-Palencia I, Wang R, Mullineaux S, Kee F, McGuinness B, Hunter RF. (2025). Investigating syndemic effects of air pollution and physical inactivity on cognitive decline in older adults. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 22(9):1153–1159. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2024-0756

Naz F, Fahim M, Cheema AA, McNiven B, Cao T-V, Hunter R, Duong T. (2025). Air quality and healthy ageing: predictive modelling of pollutants using CNN Quantum-LSTM. IEEE Access. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3570526

Loughrey DG, Feeney J, Kee F, Lawlor BA, McGuinness B, Woodside JV, Neville CE, Power JM. (2025). Independent associations between loneliness, self-reported hearing loss, and episodic memory. Aging & Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2584165

So R, D’Souza J, Feeney J, Küçükali H, Keller K, Di Gessa G, Valson J, Hunter R, McGuinness B, Kee F, Nolan A, McLoughlin S, Lee J, Adar S, Zaninotto P. (2025). Artificial outdoor light at night and depression in older adults. Environment International, 205:109886. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109886

Potter C, Feeney J, Fowler E, McKnight A, Kee F, McGuinness B. (2026). Post-traumatic stress disorder and memory function in older adults exposed to civilian conflict. Social Science & Medicine, 389:118840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.11884

2024

Potter C, Hill C, Smyth LJ, Neville C, Scott A, Kee F, McGuinness B, McKnight A. (2024). Cohort profile: DNA methylation in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) – recruitment and participant characteristics. BMJ Open, 14(9):e085652. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085652

Kim S, Halvorsen C, Potter C, Faul J. (2024). Does volunteering reduce epigenetic age acceleration among retired and working older adults? Social Science & Medicine, 117501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117501

O’Hara L, Neville C, Marr C, McAlinden M, Kee F, Weir D, McGuinness B. (2024). Investigating the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in NICOLA: the Harmonised Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) cross-sectional substudy. BMJ Open, 14(1):e075672. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075672

Glover S, Hill C, McGuinness B, McKnight A, Hunter R. (2024). Exploring the epigenome to identify biological links between the urban environment and neurodegenerative disease. Cities & Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2024.2335707

Glover S, Cleland C, Trott M, Hunter R. (2024). Urban green and blue spaces and cognitive function: a systematic review. Environmental Research: Health. https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5309/ad44cc

Trott M, Cleland CL, Akaraci S, et al. (2024). Urban environment exposures and cognitive health: an evidence gap map. Cities & Health, 9(1), 129–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2024.2395141

Hunter R, Cleland C, Trott M, et al. (2024). Investigating mechanistic pathways of the urban environmental exposome and cognitive outcomes in older adults: a longitudinal study protocol. BMJ Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085318

Naz F, Fahim M, Cheema A, et al. (2024). Two-stage feature engineering to predict air pollutants in urban areas. IEEE Access. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3443810

O’Doherty M, Cunningham C, Neill RD, et al. (2024). Resilience and physical activity in older adults: cross-sectional analyses from NICOLA. Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-024-02274-3

2023

Neill RD, Cunningham C, O’Doherty M, Smith L, Tully MA. (2023). Pet ownership and physical activity in older adults: cross-sectional analyses from the NICOLA Study. Journal of Ageing and Longevity, 3(2), 142–152. https://doi.org/10.3390/jal3020011

Neville CE, Young IS, Kee F, Hogg RE, Scott A, Burns F, Woodside JV, McGuinness B. (2023). Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA): health assessment protocol, participant profile and patterns of participation. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 466. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15355-x

Neville CE, Burns F, Cruise S, Scott A, O’Reilly D, Kee F, Young IS. (2023). Cohort profile: The Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA). International Journal of Epidemiology, 52(4), e211–e221. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyad026

Smyth LJ, Cruise SM, Tang J, Young IS, McGuinness B, Kee F, McKnight AJ; NICOLA Collaborative Group. (2023). Differential methylation in CD44 and SEC23A is associated with time preference in older individuals. Economics & Human Biology, 49, 101233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101233

Devlin A, French D, McVicar D. (2023). Why are disability rates for older working-age adults in Northern Ireland so high? The Economic and Social Review, 55(1).

2022

Cappozzo A, McCrory C, Robinson O, Freni Serrantino A, Sacerdote C, Krogh V, Panico S, Tumino R, Iacoviello L, Ricceri F, Sieri S, Schiodini P, McKay GJ, McKnight AJ, Kee F, Young IS, McGuinness B, Crimmins EM, Arpawong TE, Kenny RA, O’Halloran AM, Polidoro S, Solinas G, Vineis P, Ieva F, Fiorito G. (2022). A blood DNA methylation biomarker for predicting short-term risk of cardiovascular events. Clinical Epigenetics, 14(1), 121. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-022-01341-4

Fiorito G, Pedron S, Ochoa-Rosales C, McCrory C, Polidoro S, Zhang Y, Carmeli C. (2022). The role of epigenetic clocks in explaining educational inequalities in mortality: a multi-cohort study and meta-analysis. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glac041

Hogg RE, Wright DM, Quinn NB, Muldrew KA, Hamill B, Smyth L, McKnight AJ, Woodside JV, Tully MA, Cruise S, McGuinness B, Young IS, Kee F, Peto T, Chakravarthy U. (2022). Prevalence and risk factors for age-related macular degeneration in a population-based cohort study of older adults in Northern Ireland using multimodal imaging: NICOLA Study. British Journal of Ophthalmology. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-320469

Mauschitz MM, Verzijden T, Schuster AK, Elbaz H, Pfeiffer N, Khawaja A, Luben RN, Foster PJ, Rauscher FG, Wirkner K, Kirsten T, Jonas JB, Bikbov MM, Hogg R, Peto T, Cougnard-Grégoire A, Bertelsen G, Erke MG, Topouzis F, Giannoulis DA, Brandl C, Heid IM, Creuzot-Garcher CP, Gabrielle PH, Hense HW, Pauleikhoff D, Barreto P, Coimbra R, Piermarocchi S, Daien V, Holz FG, Delcourt C, Finger RP; European Eye Epidemiology (E3) Consortium. (2022). Association of lipid-lowering drugs and antidiabetic drugs with age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis in Europeans. British Journal of Ophthalmology. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo-2022-321985

Mauschitz MM, Schuster AK, Khawaja AP, Bikbov M, Hogg R, Rauscher FG, Erke MG, Topouzis F, Brandl C, Creuzot-Garcher C, Delcourt C, Hense HW, Silva R, Piermarocchi S, Ritchie K, Finger RP. (2022). Association of lipid-lowering drugs, anti-diabetic drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and levodopa with age-related macular degeneration in Europeans: a meta-analysis of the European Eye Epidemiology (E3) Consortium. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 63(7), 378–F0209.

McHugh Power J, Feeney J, Fowler E, McMichael A, Hyland P, Lawlor B, Kee F. (2022). Exposure to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, memory functioning, and social activity engagement: results from NICOLA. European Journal of Ageing, 19(4), 1099–1109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-022-00683-5

2021

Burns A, Leavey G, O’Sullivan R. (2021). Loneliness and healthcare use in older adults: evidence from a nationally representative cohort in Northern Ireland – a cross-sectional replication study. Frontiers in Public Health, 9:620264. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.620264

Fowler E, Woodside J, Kee F, Loughrey D, Lawlor B, McHugh Power J. (2021). Reconnecting to others: grounded theory of social functioning following age-related hearing loss. Ageing and Society. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X210001853

French D, Cruise S. (2021). Work disability and the Northern Irish Troubles. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics. https://doi.org/10.1111/obes.12435

Hogg R, Wright D, Dolz-Marco R, Gray C, Waheed N, Teussink M, Chakravarthy U. (2021). Quantitative parameters from OCT angiography in patients with diabetic retinopathy and in those with only peripheral retinopathy compared with control participants. Ophthalmology Science, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xops.2021.100030

Kee F, Neville C, McGuinness B, Hogg R. (2021). Objective measures of health and wellbeing of older adults in Northern Ireland: The NICOLA Study Wave 1 – Key findings from Wave 1 Health Assessment. Queen’s University Belfast.

Kerr K. (2021). Development of a framework for multiomic analysis in disease research. Doctor of Philosophy thesis. https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/development-of-a-framework-for-multiomic-analysis-in-disease-rese

Loughrey DG, Feeney J, Kee F, Lawlor BA, Woodside JV, Setti A, Power JM. (2021). Social factors may mediate the relationship between subjective age-related hearing loss and episodic memory. Aging & Mental Health, 25(5), 824–831. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2020.1727847

McCann P, Hogg R, Wright DM, Chakravarthy U, Peto T, Cruise S, Azuara-Blanco A. (2021). Intraocular pressure and circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA): distributions and associations. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 105(7), 948–956. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316499

2020

Bauermeister S, Orton C, Thompson S, Barker RA, Bauermeister JR, Ben-Shlomo Y, Gallacher JEJ. (2020). The Dementias Platform UK (DPUK) Data Portal. European Journal of Epidemiology, 35(6), 601–611. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-020-00633-4

da Silva G, Graham S, Yilmaz A, Ugur Z, Young I, Kee F, Green B. (2020). Combined LC-MS and 1H-NMR metabolomic profiling uncovers dietary biomarkers in a cohort of healthy Northern Irish older adults. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, (OCE2). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665120000282

McCann P, Hogg R, Wright DM, Pose-Bazarra S, Chakravarthy U, Peto T, Azuara-Blanco A. (2020). Glaucoma in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA): cohort profile, prevalence, awareness, and associations. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 104(11), 1492–1499. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2019-315330

McCann P, Hogg RE, Wright DM, McGuinness B, Young IS, Kee F, Azuara-Blanco A. (2020). Comparison of Goldmann applanation and Ocular Response Analyser tonometry: intraocular pressure agreement and patient preference. Eye (London), 34(3), 584–590. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-019-0556-2

McHugh Power J, Tang J, Kenny RA, Lawlor BA, Kee F. (2020). Mediating the relationship between loneliness and cognitive function: the role of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Aging & Mental Health, 24(7), 1071–1078. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2019.1599816

McHugh Power J, Hannigan C, Hyland P, Brennan S, Kee F, Lawlor BA. (2020). Depressive symptoms predict increased social and emotional loneliness in older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 24(1), 11–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1517728

McHugh Power JE, Hannigan C, Carney S, Feeney J, Kenny RA, Kee F, Lawlor BA. (2020). Lonely SARTs: loneliness and sustained attention in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Neuropsychology, Development, and Cognition. Section B, Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 27(2), 197–206. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2019.1620705

Montesano G, Ometto G, Higgins BE, Lester C, Balaskas K, Tufail A, Crabb DP. (2020). Structure-function analysis in macular drusen with mesopic and scotopic microperimetry. Translational Vision Science & Technology, 9(13), 43. https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.9.13.43

2019

De Moraes NV, Carey M, Neville CE, Cruise S, McGuinness B, Kee F, Young IS, Woodside JV, Meharg AA. (2019). Water dilutes and alcohol concentrates urinary arsenic species when food is the dominant source of exposure. Exposome Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-019-00329-5

Fiorito G, McCrory C, et al. (2019). Socioeconomic position, lifestyle habits and biomarkers of epigenetic ageing: a multi-cohort analysis. Aging, 11(7), 2045–2070. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101900

Hogg RE, Quinn NB, Peto T, Wright D, McGuinness B, Young IS, Chakravarthy U. (2019). Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration using multi-modal retinal imaging in a population-based ageing cohort: the NICOLA study. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 60, p63.

McCann P, Hogg RE, Wright DM, McGuinness B, Young IS, Kee F, Azuara-Blanco A. (2019). Diagnostic accuracy of spectral-domain OCT circumpapillary, optic nerve head, and macular parameters in the detection of perimetric glaucoma. Ophthalmology Glaucoma, 2(5), 336–345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ogla.2019.06.003

McGrattan AM, McGuinness B, McKinley MC, Kee F, Passmore P, Woodside JV, McEvoy CT. (2019). Diet and inflammation in cognitive ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. Current Nutrition Reports, 8(2), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-019-0271-4

McHugh Power JE, Steptoe A, Kee F, Lawlor BA. (2019). Loneliness and social engagement in older adults: a bivariate dual change score analysis. Psychology and Aging, 34(1), 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000287

Neville CE, Cruise SM, Burns F. (2019). The Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA). In: Gu D, Dupre M (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham.

Power JM, Sjöberg L, Kee F, Kenny RA, Lawlor B. (2019). Comparisons of the discrepancy between loneliness and social isolation across Ireland and Sweden: findings from TILDA and SNAC-K. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 54(9), 1079–1088. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01679-w

2018

Cappa R, Capp R, Smyth LJ, Canadas-Garre M, Polpo de Campos C, Skelly R, McKnight AJ. (2018). Genetic and epigenetic analysis in genes affecting mitochondrial function associated with chronic kidney disease in an older population. American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week (conference abstract).
https://www.asn-online.org/education/kidneyweek/2018/program-abstract.aspx?controlId=3014450

Devine P, Carney G, Montgomery L. (2018). Older men and social connectedness in Northern Ireland: first findings from NICOLA. Age and Ageing, 47(5), 13–v60.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy140.47

Graham KW, Chakravarthy U, Hogg RE, Muldrew KA, Young IS, Kee F. (2018). Identifying features of early and late age-related macular degeneration: a comparison of multicolour versus traditional colour fundus photography. Retina, 38(9), 1751–1758.
https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0000000000001777

McCarter RV, McKay GJ, Quinn NB, Chakravarthy U, MacGillivray TJ, Robertson G, Hogg RE. (2018). Evaluation of coronary artery disease as a risk factor for reticular pseudodrusen. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 102(4), 483–489.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310526

Neville CE, Cruise SM, Coulter J. (2018). Understanding today for a healthier tomorrow – The NICOLA Study. Agenda NI Public Policy Magazine.

O’Halloran A, Cruise S, Roe L, Scarlett S, O’Connell M, Kee F, Kenny R. (2018). Frailty and disability in Ireland North and South: preliminary evidence from TILDA and NICOLA. Age and Ageing, Supplement 5.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy141.30

Quinn NB, Azuara-Blanco A, Graham K, Hogg RE, Young IS, Kee F. (2018). Can ultra-wide field retinal imaging replace colour digital stereoscopy for glaucoma detection? Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 25(1), 63–69.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09286586.2017.1351998

Quinn NB, Chakravarthy U, Muldrew AK, Hamill B, Young IS, Kee F, McGuinness B, Hogg RE. (2018). Confocal infrared imaging with optical coherence tomography provides superior detection of a number of common macular lesions compared to colour fundus photography. Ophthalmic Physics & Optics, 38(6), 574–583.
https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.12592

2017

Canadas-Garre ML, Smyth L, Kee F, et al. (2017). Genetic biomarkers in the over-40s in NICOLA. European Alliance for Personalised Medicine Congress. Link here.

Cruise S. (2017). NICOLA Wave 1 key findings. Queen’s University Belfast. 

Quinn NB, Wright DM, et al. (2017). Peripheral retinal lesions in an ageing population. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 58(8). Link here. 

McCann P, Hogg RE, Azuara-Blanco A, Young IS, Kee F. (2017). Factors influencing circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (cRNFLT) in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA). Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 58(8), 3136.

Neville CE, McKinley MC, Kee F, Young IS, Cardwell CR, Woodside JV. (2017). Validity of fruit and vegetable intake assessed by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in older adults: the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 76(OCE3), E113. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665117001860