Bookmarks
BDR (Brains for Dementia Research)
Population Size
0
People
Years
2009
Associated BioSamples
None/not available
Geographic coverage
United Kingdom
Lead time
Data only
Summary
Brains for Dementia Research is an initiative funded jointly by the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK to address the shortage of brain tissue that is so essential for research into dementia. Brain tissue is collected alongside clinical and cognitive information gathered in life. BDR currently networks six brain banks with standardised procedures for brain handling over the sites, ensuring consistency across the sites.
DOI for dataset
Documentation
Living in the UK. Willingness to register for brain donation, and take part in widely used clinical and psychometric measures until the time for brain donation comes. People with a diagnosis of dementia or MCI can register at any age, and those with no diagnosis of memory impairment can register from 65 years old. Exclusion criteria are largely practical and related to the suitability of the donated brain tissue for research. This includes a diagnosis that indicates another brain bank might be more suitable, such as multiple sclerosis. Pre-existing conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, brain tumours (including previous radiotherapy treatment to the head), major strokes, aneurysms, and other significant cerebrovascular incidents, can mean a person may not be an ideal ‘control’, or the brain structure is significantly changed. Infections such as meningitis, encephalitis, HIV, prion disease pose an infection risk to all coming in contact with the tissue, so also prevent brain donation.
Dataset type
Health and disease
Dataset sub-type
Not applicable, Neurological
Keywords
Provenance
Purpose of dataset collection
Research cohort
Biological sample availability
None/not available
Details
Publishing frequency
Continuous
Version
1.0.0
Modified
17/02/2025
Coverage
Start date
01/01/2009
Time lag
Not applicable
Geographic coverage
United Kingdom
Follow-up
Continuous
Accessibility
Language
en
Alignment with standardised data models
OTHER
Controlled vocabulary
OTHER
Format
CSV
Data Access Request
Dataset pipeline status
Available
Access method category
TRE/SDE
Access service description
The Data Portal runs its analysis environment through a virtual desktop infrastructure accessible via VMWare software. By analysing the data in the virtual desktop environment you are working on DPUK's servers – meaning there is no physical transfer of data to researchers. The processing capacity enables you to work with large numbers of records and integrate these with the other data modalities that exist in the DPUK cohorts. This solution also offers researchers the freedom to conduct their analyses anywhere with an internet connection.
Data Controller
Newcastle university
Data Processor
Dementias Platform UK