Authorship of the 4AT
The 4AT was originally designed in 2011 by Prof Alasdair MacLullich (Edinburgh Delirium Research Group, University of Edinburgh, Scotland), with the collaboration of Dr Tracy Ryan and Dr Helen Cash (NHS Lothian, Scotland). Updates since then have been carried out by and are the responsibility of Alasdair MacLullich.
About the main author
Professor Alasdair MacLullich is Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. After completing his undergraduate medical training in 1993, which included an intercalated BSc in Psychology, and general medical training at the University of Edinburgh, he pursued a PhD focusing on cognitive ageing, followed by a Lectureship in Geriatric Medicine, and an MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship. He was appointed Professor of Geriatric Medicine in 2008.
Professor MacLullich has published extensively on delirium, with specific interests in clinical assessment, neuropsychology, and pathophysiology. His research also encompasses dementia, frailty, and hip fracture care.
He continues to work 50% in clinical practice, in acute geriatric medicine and acute orthogeriatrics.
Professor MacLullich co-founded the European Delirium Association (EDA) in 2006 and has served as its President. He also co-founded the Scottish Delirium Association in 2011 and World Delirium Awareness Day (WDAD) in 2016. He co-chaired the committee that produced the influential Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines on delirium, published in 2019. He is Editor in Chief of the journals Delirium and Delirium Communications.
Professor MacLullich is also Chair of the Scottish Hip Fracture Audit, a government-funded national audit.
The authors thank the following colleagues for generously contributing their time and expertise during the initial development and testing of the 4AT: Dr Atul Anand, Prof Daniel Davis, Dr Fergus Doubal, Dr Duncan Forsyth, Dr Kyle Gibson, Dr Aditya Hosakere, Prof Bree Johnston, Mr Colin MacDonald, Dr Katie Marwick, Dr Johanna Paddison, Prof Emma Reynish, Dr Jeyakumar Selwyn, and Prof Susan Shenkin.