Research at ARC
ARC is internationally renowned for its research on the health status of older adults, trends and inequality among older people, brain aging, and prevention of dementia. Our researchers come from various backgrounds and belong to one of the eight research groups within psychology, social gerontology or medical epidemiology.
Groups within Medical Epidemiology
Research in the area of Medical Epidemiology focuses on health, health changes, and health determinants in the older population.
We aim to increase our understanding of the aging process, to detect risk and protective factors of the major age-related chronic diseases as well as multimorbidity and disability, and to identify strategies for longer and healthier lives. To that end, we take advantage of the unique population-based database from the longitudinal SNAC-K project that we have been carrying out since 2000 with regular assessment by nurses, psychologists, and physicians. Our group is also coordinating the National E-Infrastructure on Aging Research (NEAR).
The research groups within this area consist of senior and junior researchers from multiple disciplines such as epidemiology, neurology, geriatrics, pharmacy, biostatistics, and physiotherapy. Researchers supervise several postgraduate and doctoral students, and also host visiting researchers from Europe and outside.
Research group leaders
Groups within Psychology
Research in the area of Psychology focuses on cognitive functioning in aging and how individual variability in age-related cognitive decline can be understood from the perspectives of brain aging, genetic background, and environmental factors.
Existing databases and ongoing data collections consist of several smaller and larger neuroimaging studies, often multimodal in nature. We also make use of largescale longitudinal databases, e.g. SNAC-K, which is carried out by ARC and Stockholm Gerontology Research Center.
The research groups consist of researchers at different levels, with expertise in e.g. neuropsychology, structural, functional, and molecular brain imaging.
Research group leaders
Groups within Social Gerontology
The research groups within Social Gerontology use cross-sectional and longitudinal data from survey studies and registers to study aging and older people’s living conditions. The research focuses on multiple scientific questions on topic such as older people’s health, health trends at the population level, medical and social services, social exclusion, and multiple aspects of inequalities at the group level. We continuously provide national and international stakeholders with empirical research reports for policy changes.
We are responsible for the Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old – SWEOLD.
The research groups within the area of Gerontology Sector consist of senior and junior researchers from multiple disciplines such as sociology, social work, social epidemiology, and population health science.