title: The NIH MRI study of normal brain development.
abstract: MRI is increasingly used to study normal and abnormal brain development, but we lack a clear understanding of "normal". Previous studies have been limited by small samples, narrow age ranges and few behavioral measures. This multi-center project conducted epidemiologically based recruitment of a large, demographically balanced sample across a wide age range, using strict exclusion factors and comprehensive clinical/behavioral measures. A mixed cross-sectional and longitudinal design was used to create a MRI/clinical/behavioral database from approximately 500 children aged 7 days to 18 years to be shared with researchers and the clinical medicine community. Using a uniform acquisition protocol, data were collected at six Pediatric Study Centers and consolidated at a Data Coordinating Center. All data were transferred via a web-network into a MYSQL database that allowed (i) secure data transfer, (ii) automated MRI segmentation, (iii) correlation of neuroanatomical and clinical/behavioral variables as 3D statistical maps and (iv) remote interrogation and 3D viewing of database content. A population-based epidemiologic sampling strategy minimizes bias and enhances generalizability of the results. Target accrual tables reflect the demographics of the U.S. population (2000 Census data). Enrolled subjects underwent a standardized protocol to characterize neurobehavioral and pubertal status. All subjects underwent multi-spectral structural MRI. In a subset, we acquired T1/T2 relaxometry, diffusion tensor imaging, single-voxel proton spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging. In the first of three cycles, successful structural MRI data were acquired in 392 subjects aged 4:6-18:3 years and in 72 subjects aged 7 days to 4:6 years. We describe the methodologies of MRI data acquisition and analysis, using illustrative results. This database will provide a basis for characterizing healthy brain maturation in relationship to behavior and serve as a source of control data for studies of childhood disorders. All data described here will be available to the scientific community from July, 2006.
authors.affiliation: Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, 3801 University St., Montreal, H3A 2B4 Canada. alan.evans@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Alan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States