The Roanoke Brain Study to start collecting data
The Roanoke Brain Study, which was first announced last summer, will begin in June collecting data from healthy adults living in the area.
Scientists at the new Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have designed the study to better understand the neural basis of human decision-making and its effect on health throughout a person’s life. A pilot study will kick off in about two weeks to gather data from imaging tests on up to 200 adults ages 18 to 85 living in the area.
The scope of the project is being compared to the Framingham Heart Study, which has followed patients since 1948 and over the years has identified the common characteristics of heart function and what contributes to cardiovascular disease.
The pilot project is intended to start establishing a large control database that will be used once the scientists are ready to begin examining particular populations of people, such as those with certain psychological diagnoses.
By the fall, the plan is to start building the control database to a maximum of 5,000 people. The study, which was initially billed as the “Roanoke 15,000,” likely will branch out to include thousands more subjects and also will study children.
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May 27, 2011 - 8:54 AM
This is really medical news worthy of national attention. No place else on earth has such an odd population. Unfortunately I feel the conclusions of this study really will not apply to the overall neural processes of humanity but it MAY helps us understand decisions of Roanoke City’s elected leaders and their decisions. Hope they study the brains of Dowe, Fitzpatrick and Harris…well OK the term “brains” is maybe not completely accurate but at least stude what’s inside their skulls.