In the BMB Project, in addition to brain image data, various kinds of information about subjects are acquired in order to perform analysis that adds characteristics of subjects.
 

The HARP (Harmonized Protocol) is used as the imaging method for MRI. HARP is a harmonized imaging method that minimizes image changes dependent on MRI differences. HARP uses a minimum of 3 sets of brain structure images (T1-weighted images and T2-weighted images) for about 12 minutes, functional MRI images for 10 minutes, and static magnetic field images by spin echo. For higher precision, this includes 20 minutes of functional MRI images, 3 minutes of 3D Arterial Spin Labeling Imaging (Prisma, Skyra, Verio only), 5 minutes of quantitative magnetic field inhomogeneity images (Prisma, Skyra only), and 4 minutes of 2 types of task performance fMRI images (EMOTION, CARIT). Travelling subjects were also imaged using the SRPB (Strategic Research Program for Brain Sciences) protocol to harmonize with past data from the SRPB and using the HCP-CRHD protocol to harmonize with the US HCP.

 

● Subject attributes, clinical indicators, and subjective evaluation

At the institution where the data will be collected, the basic characteristics and attributes of the subjects (gender, age, dominant hand, educational/employment status, etc.), clinical indicators (diagnosis name, severity, cognitive function, etc.), and subjective evaluations (QoL, well-being, etc.) will be acquired. Standard acquisition indicators are defined within each group of the BMB Project and are somewhat uniform across groups. These are useful for cross-group analyses.

 

 

●Participating institution

Currently, 13 research groups in Japan are acquiring clinical data and Traveling Subject data according to the measurement and sharing standards decided by this project.