---
title: "Amish Protective Variant Study"
id: "3819"
type: "cohort"
slug: "amish-protective-variant-study"
published_at: "2022-09-16T13:31:02+00:00"
modified_at: "2024-09-13T19:51:37+00:00"
url: "https://dss.niagads.org/cohorts/amish-protective-variant-study/"
markdown_url: "https://dss.niagads.org/cohorts/amish-protective-variant-study.md"
excerpt: "The Amish Protective Variant Study, based at Case Western Reserve University and the University of Miami (Cummings et al. 2012; D’Aoust et al. 2015), is being conducted in the Indiana and Ohio Old Order Amish (OOA) population. The OOA, an..."
taxonomy_cohort_categories:
  - "ADSP"
taxonomy_cohort_countries:
  - "United States of America"
---

## Description

The Amish Protective Variant Study, based at Case Western Reserve University and the University of Miami (Cummings et al. 2012; D’Aoust et al. 2015), is being conducted in the Indiana and Ohio Old Order Amish (OOA) population. The OOA, an isolated founder population originating from emigration of German and Swiss Anabaptists to the U.S. in the 1700’s and 1800’s has been examined in multiple genetic studies of complex diseases including AD, age-related macular degeneration, and successful aging. With fewer than 1,000 founders and self-imposed cultural and religious isolation, the introduction of genetic variation among the OOA has been significantly restricted. Anecdotally, their agrarian lifestyle and firm behavioral norms likely have reduced variation in environmental exposures. Further, the OOA are an excellent population for genetic studies in that they have large and stable pedigrees and low variability in lifestyle factors.

Individuals included in this study have been recruited over the past 20 years for multiple studies of AD or dementia, age-related macular degeneration, and successful aging. For all these studies, the primary criteria for enrollment included being age 50 or older (AMD), age 60 or older (AD), or age 80 or older (successful aging), being part of the Amish community, and being of Amish descent. Recruitment primarily included community-based home visits. Participants were recruited from Amish families living in Holmes County, Ohio and Elkhart, LaGrange, and Adams Counties, Indiana.

Nuclear family pedigrees are provided for convenience. However, as a founder population, these Amish individuals have, on average, a genetic relationship between the equivalent of second and third cousins. Thus additional, more complex relationships exist across the nuclear pedigrees.

## Related Datasets

- [NG00067 – ADSP Umbrella](https://dss.niagads.org/datasets/ng00067/) This dataset includes sequencing data and harmonized phenotypes from cohorts sequenced by the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project and other AD and Related Dementia’s studies. Samples are processed using a common… [Learn more](https://dss.niagads.org/datasets/ng00067/)
- [NG00196- Genotyping short tandem repeats using the ADSP R4 cohort](https://dss.niagads.org/datasets/ng00196/) A two-step pipeline was used to first identify expanded short tandem repeats (STRs) in ADSP samples using ExpansionHunter Denovo and then genotype the identified STRs, along with additional polymorphic STRs… [Learn more](https://dss.niagads.org/datasets/ng00196/)

## Related Studies

- [sa000001 - Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP)](https://dss.niagads.org/studies/sa000001/) Background An initiative in response to the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) has been working towards new biological insights and cures for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) since its introduction by NIH… [Learn more](https://dss.niagads.org/studies/sa000001/)
- [sa000087 - Genotyping short tandem repeats using ADSP R4](https://dss.niagads.org/studies/sa000087/) Variation in tandem repeats (TRs), particularly large expansions of triplet repeats (e.g., polyCAG), is known to cause a number of late-onset neurological diseases. Due to their repetitive and degenerate nature,… [Learn more](https://dss.niagads.org/studies/sa000087/)

## Related Sample Sets

- [snd10031 - ADSP-FUS2 WGS](https://dss.niagads.org/sample-sets/snd10031/) The ADSP-FUS is a National Institute on Aging (NIA) initiative focused on identifying genetic risk and protective variants for late-onset Alzheimer Disease (LOAD). A concern in AD genetic studies is… [Learn more](https://dss.niagads.org/sample-sets/snd10031/)
- [snd10094 - ADSP-FUS3 WGS](https://dss.niagads.org/sample-sets/snd10094/) The ADSP-FUS is a National Institute on Aging (NIA) initiative focused on identifying genetic risk and protective variants for late-onset Alzheimer Disease (LOAD). A concern in AD genetic studies is… [Learn more](https://dss.niagads.org/sample-sets/snd10094/)
- [snd10147 - ADSP R4 Short Tandem Repeats (STRs)](https://dss.niagads.org/sample-sets/snd10147/) This dataset comprises short tandem repeat (STR) genotypes from 31,681 whole-genome sequencing (WGS) samples from the ADSP R4 data release. The STRs were genotyped using ExpansionHunter with a custom catalog… [Learn more](https://dss.niagads.org/sample-sets/snd10147/)

 ```