Read about our studies and how they might help your research. Image Generation Scotland gathers responses to questionnaires of health and well-being from birth through life. We combine this with NHS health records and innovative laboratory science to understand health trajectories. We work closely with researchers and our volunteers to create a rich evidence base for understanding health. Through this rigorous, ethical and safe approach to research, we seek to enable meaningful change in public health. The Generation Scotland cohort recruited participants through two main phases, GS initial recruitment (2006-2011) and NextGenScot (2022-2025) with over 40,000 participants in total. Omics and linkage data will be available for the whole cohort, however participants completed different baseline health questionnaires which are described below. Data from NextGenScot and harmonised phenotype information across both recruitment phases will be available to researchers soon.Generation Scotland is proud to be funded by the Wellcome Trust. We are based at The University of Edinburgh within the Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Centre for Medical Informatics and The Usher Institute. See the menus below to learn more about the datasets available. GS Cohort: Initial Recruitment The Scottish Family Health Study is an intensively phenotyped, family-based cohort for the study of the genetic basis of common complex diseases and response to treatments. Recruitment began early in 2006 and was completed in 2011. The cohort includes just over 24,000 participants, with most consenting to record linkage and recontact.Each participant gave blood or saliva samples (for processing, biochemistry and cryopreservation) and a urine sample. The blood or saliva samples were processed to DNA and extensive genotyping was carried out on over 20,000 participants by 2015.Data DictionaryTo help you design your study, we've made a data dictionary for the Scottish Family Health Study available.Scottish Family Health Study Data DictionaryStudy MethodologyPlease see the following links for a description of the methods used for data collection:Cohort Profile: Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS). The study, its participants and their potential for genetic research on health and illnessCohort Profile: Stratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL): a questionnaire follow-up of Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS)Generation Scotland: an update on Scotland’s longitudinal family health study Clinical and Questionnaire Data Data overview: Pre-clinic questionnaireDemographic detailsOccupational historyLifestyle – smoking, alcohol, diet and exercisePersonal and family medical history, age at menarche and menopauseRose angina questionnaireMusculoskeletal questions – including Chronic Pain Grade, history of fracturesCurrent drug history, including prescribed and non-prescribed medications, HRT usePhysical measurementsHeight, weight, waist-hip ratioBlood pressure x 2 (Omron BP Monitor), resting pulseAnkle brachial pressure index (ABPI)Spirometry - FEV1, FVC, FEFECGBioimpedance (% body fat)Cognitive function measurementsEysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised Short FormLogical Memory from the Wechsler Memory Scale IIIDigit Symbol from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IIIVerbal FluencyMill Hill Vocabulary ScaleGeneral Health Questionnaire – 28Mental health measurementsSCID Brief screening interview for major depressionSPQ-B Personality QuestionnaireMDQ Mood QuestionnaireBiochemistry measuresUreaSodiumCreatinineGlucosePotassiumTotal cholesterolHDL cholesterolQuestionnaires SFHS Clinical Record Form (74.63 KB PDF) SFHS Pre-Clinical Questionnaire - Phase 1 (144.46 KB PDF) SFHS Pre-Clinical Questionnaire - Phase 2 (592.41 KB PDF)Study Documentation SFHS Patient Information Leaflet (67.35 KB PDF) SFHS Consent Form (28.89 KB PDF) GS Cohort: NextGenScot recruitment Data from the NextGenScot recruitment phase will be available to researchers soon. Generation Scotland Sub Studies Participants provided broad consent permitting use of data and samples for ‘future medical research into health, illness and medical treatment’. This included consent to be recontacted for new studies, which has led to additional data collections. Data from recontact studies can be linked to GS data and are retained by GS to be made available for other researchers through the GS access process. Loneliness in the Digital World The Loneliness in the Digital World study was launched on the 10th of April 2024.This study aims to recruit 200 young people ages 12–15 to join the study. The study explores how various types of social interaction, both positive and negative, in-person and online, impact state loneliness (i.e. a more temporary and situational experience of loneliness, which specific events or circumstances may influence) and mental health in adolescents.Study MethodologyThe study uses an Ecological Momentary Assessment design to assess offline/online social acceptance and rejection in young people and examine how different types of social interaction affect state loneliness, emotions and broader well-being. The study is also co-produced with a group of young people. Our Young People Advisory Group (YPAG) helped the researchers design and shape the research question and design.For more information, please go to our website. Genetic Health in the 21st Century Genetic Health in the 21st Century is a resource of control DNA and genetic and phenotypic information. The study includes nearly 2,000 consenting individuals from 6 different locations across Scotland. It is designed to help establish the genetic profile of a control population living in Scotland in relation to health and disease. Recruitment took place in Aberdeen, Banff, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Peterhead.Study MethodologyDNA was extracted from all blood samples and archive and working stocks prepared. Purified blood cells were stored and can be used to make lymphoblastoid cell lines.Data Overview 21CGH Questionnaire (116.62 KB PDF)Study Documentation 21CGH Patient Information Leaflet (52.79 KB PDF) 21CGH Consent Form (47.73 KB PDF) Donor DNA Databank We collected human control DNA samples and plasma from blood donors attending sessions at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, in more than 140 locations throughout Scotland.Recruitment took place during 2008 and the collection contains almost 5,000 samples with accompanying data.Study MethodologyPlease see the following reference for a description of the methods used:Generation Scotland: Donor DNA Databank; A control DNA resourceThe purpose of of the Donor DNA Databank is to provide a long term, well characterised resource of human DNA control samples. 'Case' samples are unique to each disease study, but the same control samples can be used across many studies if appropriately collected and characterised. The Donor DNA Databank provides access to a collection of well-maintained stocks of control DNA obtained with consent from the Scottish population. Donors answered a short questionnaire and allowed a sample of their blood and a filter, which would otherwise be discarded, to be used by the project. Questionnaire data was entered into the databank using Optical Mark Read (OMR) technology. The collected data, DNA and plasma samples were unlinked and fully anonymised 28 days after collection.Study Documentation 3D Patient Information Leaflet (83.08 KB PDF) 3D Consent Form (48.36 KB PDF)Data Overview 3D Questionnaire (57.42 KB PDF)Age group, SexCultural BackgroundParticipant and Parental Scottish Region or Country of OriginGrandparental Origin (Scotland/Other)SNBTS donor inclusion criteriaOverview of the project, including the ethnic and geographical distribution of the cohort: 3D Overview (4.95 MB PDF)Donor DNA databank data can be accessed through the Edinburgh Datashare website. CovidLife Over 25,000 people have taken part in either CovidLife, TeenCovidLife or RuralCovidLife. Their support is helping us to begin understanding health and well-being. Data are available for research use.Our CovidLife surveys launched in April 2020, over different time periods and under different UK regulations. If you'd like to take a look at when each survey was launched and how long it ran for, take a look at our timeline.CovidLife Survey Timeline Image The CovidLife survey was launched on 17th April 2020 in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In our baseline survey, we asked ~18,000 people a series of questions about how COVID-19 measures had been affecting them. Our second survey was completed by ~11,000 volunteers and our third survey y ~10,000 volunteers.We invited people over the age of 18 and living in the UK to take part. Our volunteers included over 13,000 members of the general public and over 4,000 Generation Scotland participants. They were asked questions about the impact of the pandemic on their health, well-being, social and work life and education. The survey was conducted online, using Qualtrics.Data Dictionary Document CovidLife 1 Data Dictionary (53.17 KB / XLSX) Document CovidLife 2 Data Dictionary (48.79 KB / XLSX) Document CovidLife 3 Data Dictionary (26.31 KB / XLSX) Questionnaires Document CovidLife Survey 1 Question List (1.19 MB / PDF) Document CovidLife Survey 2 Question List (1.08 MB / PDF) Document CovidLife Survey 3 Question List (975.05 KB / PDF) If you would like to reuse any of the questions from our survey, please let us know. Please also contact us if you would like a Qualtrics version. You can email us at access@generationscotland.orgReportsInitial results of CovidLife survey releasedThe second and third CovidLife surveys have been conducted and data is available for research use. Data NoteAfter completion of the surveys, we created a data note detailing all the information available in our CovidLife surveys. You can read it in the link below.CovidLife: a resource to understand mental health, well-being and behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UKData AccessTo gain access to CovidLife data, please complete the form below and pass this on to the Generation Scotland team at access@generationscotland.org. Document CovidLife Access Request Form (38.8 KB / DOCX) TeenCovidLife Image The TeenCovidLife survey was launched on 22nd May 2020. In our baseline survey, we asked ~5,500 young people a series of questions about how COVID-19 measures had been affecting them. Our second survey was completed by ~3,000 new and previous volunteers and out third survey by ~700 volunteers.We invited young people aged 12-17 to get involved. They were asked questions about the impact of the pandemic on their school and home life, as well as their overall health and well-being. The survey was conducted online, using Qualtrics.Data Dictionary Document TeenCovidLife 1 Data Dictionary (46.28 KB / XLSX) Document TeenCovidLife 2 Data Dictionary (27.56 KB / XLSX) Document TeenCovidLife 3 Data Dictionary (123.03 KB / XLSX) Questionnaires Document TeenCovidLife Survey 1 Question List (850.16 KB / PDF) Document TeenCovidLife Survey 2 Question List (911.09 KB / PDF) Document TeenCovidLife Survey 3 Question List (739.54 KB / PDF) If you would like to reuse any of the questions from our survey, please let us know. Please also contact us if you would like a Qualtrics version. You can email us at access@generationscotland.org.ReportsTeenCovidLife: The results are inTeenCovidLife: Survey 2 ResultsWe hope to invite young people to TeenCovidLife 3 in early summer. Data NoteAfter completion of the surveys, we created a data note detailing all the information available in our TeenCovidLife surveys. You can read it in the link below.TeenCovidLife: a resource to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents in ScotlandData AccessTo gain access to TeenCovidLife data, please complete the form below and pass this on to the Generation Scotland team at access@generationscotland.org. Document CovidLife Access Request Form (38.8 KB / DOCX) RuralCovidLife Image The RuralCovidLife survey was launched on 14th October 2020. In our baseline survey, we asked ~3,000 rural Scottish volunteers, aged 16 and over, a series of questions about how COVID-19 measures had been affecting them. The questions were tailored and designed by people from rural communities. We did this to make sure we asked about topics relevant to our volunteers.Data Dictionary Document RuralCovidLife 1 Data Dictionary (45.94 KB / XLSX) Questionnaire Document RuralCovidLife 1 Question List (871.67 KB / PDF) If you would like to reuse any of the questions from our survey, please let us know. Please also contact us if you would like a Qualtrics version. You can email us at access@generationscotland.org.ReportWe have also published a report on the initial survey findings, which can be found in the link below:Rural voices heard as first RuralCovidLife results publishedThis is the first in a series of surveys. Initial RuralCovidLife data is available for research use. Data NoteAfter completion of the survey, we created a data note detailing all the information available in RuralCovidLife. You can read it in the link below.RuralCovidLife: Study protocol and description of the dataData AccessTo gain access to RuralCovidLife data, please complete the form below and pass this on to the Generation Scotland team at access@generationscotland.org. Document CovidLife Access Request Form (38.8 KB / DOCX) Stratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) The Stratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) substudy recruited from the existing GS cohort to subtype major depressive disorder (MDD), using detailed clinical, cognitive and brain imaging assessments. From 2015 to 2017, 9905 GS participants completed a remote depression-focused questionnaire (including psychological resilience, coping style and response to psychological distress) and a subset (n=1189) attended a face-to-face assessment to conduct cognitive testing, multimodal MRI of brain scans (n=1085) and further bio-sample collection.Cohort profile for the STratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) study: A depression-focused investigation of Generation Scotland, using detailed clinical, cognitive, and neuroimaging assessmentsData Dictionaries Document STRADL Clinic Data Dictionary (58.77 KB / XLSX) Document STRADL Recontact Data Dictionary (18.17 KB / XLSX) Brain Magnetic Resonance ImagingThe full neuroimaging protocol can be found in the STRADL Cohort profile. Briefly, brain MRI protocols were conducted across two sites in Aberdeen and Dundee using 3T MRI scanners (Philips Achieva TX and Siemens Prisma-FIT, respectively). Both sites acquired identical structural and functional imaging sequences. Structural imaging included 3D T1-weighted scans for assessing brain regional volumes, cortical thickness, gyrification, voxel-based morphometry, and the identification of infarcts and other lesions. 3D T2-weighted scans were used to detect lacunes, perivascular spaces, infarcts, and to support hippocampal subfield segmentation. 3D FLAIR imaging enabled the identification of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), while susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) or T2*-weighted sequences were used to detect microbleeds, basal ganglia mineralisation, and cortical superficial siderosis. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) provided data on white matter microstructural integrity and structural connectivity. Functional MRI (fMRI) included two task-based sequences, one targeting emotional-limbic responses using fearful versus neutral faces, and another assessing reward processing with an added choice-value component along with resting-state fMRI to explore brain network connectivity. Functional scans were acquired with the imaging plane tilted 30° off the AC-PC line. Imaging-derived phenotypes are available from the STRADL imaging dataset. The processed data includes global and regional measures such as:Cortical surface areaCortical thicknessVolumes of grey matter, white matter, and whole brainDerived metrics summarizing brain structure integrity Document STRADL Imaging Derived Phenotypes Data Dictionary (40.29 KB / XLSX) Also available are atrophy and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) variables derived from T1-weighted MRI scans and specialized segmentation tools, providing quantitative markers of brain volume, structure, and neurodegenerative changes. These variables reflect brain tissue loss or preservation, often used as indicators of aging or neurodegenerative processes (e.g., Alzheimer's disease). WMH are areas of increased signal on T2-weighted or FLAIR MRI, associated with small vessel disease, aging, and cognitive decline.VariableDescriptionBTV_mm3Brain tissue volume in mm3Hippocampal_vol_mm3Hippocampal volume (right+left) in mm3Ventricular_vol_mm3Ventricular volume (lateral, thrid and fourth ventricles summed) in mm3brain_cortex_vol_mm3Brain cortex volume in mm3cerebellar_cortex_vol_mm3Cerebellar cortex volume in mm3ICV_mm3Intracranial volume calculated by Synthstrip in mm3WMHvol_mm3White matter hyperintensity volume calculated by nUNet (in mm3) trained by Jesse Phitidis as described here BPFBrain parenchymal fractionPerc_hippo_in_ICVPercentage of hippocampal volume in ICVPerc_vent_in_ICVPercentage of ventricular volume in ICVPerc_brain_cortex_in_ICVPercentage of brain cortical volume in ICVPerc_WMH_in_ICVPercentage of white matter hyperintensity volume in ICV DOLORisk The DOLORisk substudy used GS to study neuropathic pain (NP). The study received responses to a survey regarding presence or absence of chronic pain and NP from 7,238 members of the GS cohort with a follow-up repeat survey (n=5292 responses) after 18 months.DOLORisk: study protocol for a multi-centre observational study to understand the risk factors and determinants of neuropathic pain Document DOLORisk Baseline Data Dictionary (16.87 KB / XLSX) Document DOLORisk Follow Up Data Dictionary (13.79 KB / XLSX) This article was published on 2024-05-06