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The Brain Resource Company (BRC) has set up the world's first standarized international database on the human brain. Imagine having a database of over 1,000 normative subjects and over 500 clinical subjects and still growing. This collaboration of scientists and technology partners (such as IBM) gathers information into a neuroscience database which includes demographic, neuropsychological (cognitive), electrical brain-body function, sMRI, fMRI, genetic and lifestyle data along with function, structure and genetics of patients' brains. A patient who is referred to the database (by over 50 researchers from around the globe), first enters data online - this consists of demographic data such as age, gender, eating and drinking habits, early childhood experiences. The patient tben goes into one of the BRC labs to undergo various tests, such as MRIs and EEGs
According to the BRC website, researchers then use a tool called the "Matrix" that allows comparisons between various elements in the database. "It consists of 245 x 245 correlations, with 8 layers of age, (each with 3 parameters) totalling over 1.4 Million cells of data. This enormous amount of information is powerfully summarised by automated colouring of cells based on significance levels. At a glance widespread patterns in the data can be seen as patches of colour. To further investigate such hotspots the matrix can be crossed referenced on all three dimensions (correlates of the column variable, correlates of the row variable, and through age groups/covariation) to explore possible confounds, interaction and causality."
One of the goals of the BRC is to allow rapid comparisons of a patient profile against the normative data with the goal of predicting a response to particular drugs or anticipate a side effect to a specific intervention. Science has been chasing the ability to predict a personal response to any clinical intervention. Who will respond and who will not respond is extremely valuable information to the pharmaceutical industry as well as to clinicians.
Although I believe that there are many more variables needed to create a truly 'personalized' brain report or truly 'normative data,' this database is an interesting beginning. Zach at Brainwaves writes quite eloquently about the implications of neurotechnology from scientific, political, ethical and socio-cultural perspectives. A collaborative effort and database such as the BRC has fascinating implications.
Brain Resource Company
Wired Article about the BRC
11:09:05 PM 
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