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Approved research

Brain volume atlas

Principal Investigator: Dr Keith Goatman
Approved Research ID: 25694
Approval date: January 2nd 2017

Lay summary

The research will investigate computer software for measuring abnormal changes in particular brain region volumes, seen in magnetic resonance images. The specific regions to be investigated are associated with diseases such as dementia, for example Alzheimer's disease. A database of normal brain region volumes will be built, using automated software we have developed, based on a reference brain region atlas developed at Johns Hopkins University. The research would likely form part of a clinical/research software application to help diagnose degenerative brain disease, for example Alzheimer's Disease. It could also be used to quantitatively assess the physical effects of treatments for degenerative diseases. In order to detect abnormal brain regions we will first create a database of normal brain volumes. It will be based on equal numbers of male and female subjects from the Biobank imaging cohort, evenly spread across the participants' age range. Automatic software will be used to measure the volumes of specific brain structures known to be affected by degenerative diseases. We will validate the performance using subjects with normal memory scores, subjects with abnormal memory scores, and subjects known to have dementia from another study. 1000 subjects will be chosen from the imaging cohort, selected by stratified sampling of the three age decades, with equal male/female ratios throughout age range. 800 subjects would be selected with normal memory test scores, and 200 with abnormal memory scores. Note that subjects may be excluded based on a previous history of neurological disease or symptoms other than the memory test.