The multi-factorial nature of the diseases that lead to dementia means researchers need access to broad datasets to build our knowledge: demographic, biological, cognitive, behavioural and genetic. OXDARE members both encourage valuable collaborations and design studies that enrich that pool of data.
Current studies
► Oxford Parkinson’s Disease Centre (OPDC): imaging
Clinical data and brain scans from a cohort of patients, controls and ‘at-risk’ individuals collected to better understand the different onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease in different people.
Led by: Michele Hu, Richard Wade-Martins and Clare Mackay
Find out more: https://www.opdc.ox.ac.uk/home
► Whitehall II imaging sub-study
A sub-study of the Whitehall-II longitudinal cohort involving MRI brain scanning and cognitive assessment in Oxford.
Led by: Klaus Ebmeier, Sana Suri, Eniko Zsoldos
Find out more: https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/research/neurobiology-of-ageing/research-projects-1/whitehall-oxford
► Brain Health Centre Research Database
A joint clinical-research service for NHS patients with memory problems, providing patients and doctors with access to high-quality assessments, including MRI brain scans, and research opportunities.
Led by: Clare O’Donoghue, Clare Mackay, Lola Martos, Vanessa Raymont, Jasmine Blane
Find out more: https://oxfordhealthbrc.nihr.ac.uk/our-work/brain-health-centre/the-memory-clinic/researchers/
► Brain Health Centre Healthy Participants
Recruiting a cohort of healthy older adults, who will complete an MRI brain scan, cognitive testing and questionnaires, to provide a comparison for data collected from patients attending the Brain Health Centre clinical service.
Led by: Clare O’Donoghue, Clare Mackay, Lola Martos, Vanessa Raymont, Jasmine Blane
Find out more: https://oxfordhealthbrc.nihr.ac.uk/our-work/brain-health-centre/the-memory-clinic/researchers/
► Great Minds
A register for healthy research volunteers who are interested in contributing to dementia research. Health data from their existing research cohorts, together with newly completed cognitive assessments, allows volunteers to be matched with new dementia research studies.
Led by: John Gallacher, Ivan Koychev
Find out more: https://www.greatmindsfordementia.uk/
► DPUK Harmonising white matter hyperintisites
A sub-study of DPUK that aims to find methods to compare measures of lesions in the brain based on brain scan images, which may be affected by the use of different brain scanning machines. This work will help new research combine large sets of existing research data.
Led by: Ludovica Griffanti
Find out more: https://www.dementiasplatform.uk/for-researchers/Data-Portal-studies/harmonising-large-imaging-databses-to-assess-white-matter-hyperintensities-in-cognitive-ageing
