Genetic and aging epidemiology. The merging of two disciplines

Abstract

For future research in aging epidemiology to be meaningful, it will have to integrate knowledge and skills from multiple areas, including the application of genetic and molecular epidemiologic techniques to the study of the elderly. This article begins with an overview of genetic and molecular epidemiology, followed by a discussion of several unique methodologic issues that need to be considered in the interpretation of genetic and molecular findings of epidemiologic studies of the elderly.