Researchers from the UC San Francisco are building an online registry of research volunteers. This online project aims to accelerate the time spent on clinical trials and to reduce costs, as well.
The Brain Health Registry is the first of its kind and aside from advancing the research interests of the experts; it will also help them map out the differences in brain functions and behaviors of thousands of volunteers. The creation of the registry is being led by professor of radiology, biomedical engineering, medicine, psychiatry and neurology at UCSF, Michael Weiner.
Volunteers of the project can register online. The initial recruitment will happen at the San Francisco Bay Area, and the team is looking to recruit at least 100,000 people by 2017. The information of the volunteers will be made available to study concerning neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.
"This registry is an innovative 21st century approach to science with tremendous potential," Weiner said in a press release. "The greatest obstacles to finding a cure for Alzheimer's and other brain disorders are the cost and time involved in clinical trials. This project aims to cut both and greatly accelerate the search for cures."
Volunteers will be asked to provide some personal information and undergo neurological tests. The tests will be administered via game format, and this will help the experts create a snapshot of that person's default brain function. The data collected by the registry will be used on studies related to brain changes. Few of the participants will be selected to give a sample of their blood and saliva to be used for clinical tests. The level of participation is solely upon the volunteer's discretion. All information gathered by the registry will be treated confidentially.
