Brain Dynamics Centre is the coordinating site for an international network - BRAINnet. It has over 260 members from 16 countries. The goal of BRAINnet is to hasten and facilitate the cure of human brain disease. It accomplishes its goal by providing open electronic access to the Brain Resource International Database for research purposes.The data was made available to BRAINnet through Brain Resource Company, but BRAINnet operates independently from Brain Resource. BRAINnet is governed by the BRAINnet Foundation, a non-profit US based organization that is working to speed the cure of psychological disorders and other brain-related illness. The BRAINnet Foundation facilitates open access to a range of brain-related data for research and scientific publication, thereby maximizing and sharing the benefits.
An unprecedented array of brain-related data is available through BRAINnet, including genomic information, electrical measures of brain and body function, structural and functional MRI, cognitive and medical history data – all collected using the same standardized assessment protocols. This allows data to be pooled across studies and disorders. To find out more on what data are available, visit http://www.brainnet.net/what-data-are-available/
Why the Brain?
BRAINnet provides a national approach to addressing the neuroscience and mental health issues which are now federal and state government priorities.
Brain disorders are chronic and debilitating, posing the highest burden to Australia (in health, economic and social capital attrition) of any disease group, accounting for over 22% of the aggregate losses, ahead of cancer (11.3%) and heart disease (9.9%).
Brain disorders are predicted to contribute a progressively higher percentage of the burden of disease, so that by the year 2020 they will comprise 27%.
Brain disorders affect as many as 1.5 billion people worldwide, and the number is expected to increase as life expectancy increases. In Australia, 2.6 million adults and 0.5 million children suffer from at least 1 mental illness episode a year.
