Chinese scientists are planning to build a "brain database" to identify clues to tackle brain diseases and related disorders.
"The creation of a common database and integrated patient that will help us to identify biological markers of brain disease, which can then be used as the basis for the diagnosis and early treatment," said Poo Mu-ming, director of the Institute of Neuroscience, an agency under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"It would also be a useful resource for scientists around the world are involved in brain research," he said as quoted by Xinhua news agency.
Although only a little detail project submitted to the public, Poo said one of the main objectives of data bank of brain development that is finding the treatment of conditions such as autism and Alzheimer's disease.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose incidence continues to increase globally. According to official data, about one million Chinese children affected by the condition.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states, in 2008 the country had 7.8 million children with autism. While 50 percent of the global population aged over 85 years suffer from Alzheimer's disease in 2050 and nine million in China's elderly population at risk of the condition.
"There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but one of the goals of this brain database is to find ways to delay or prevent Alzheimer's attacks," says Poo.
The announcement of the project was carried out at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, where scientists from the United States and Europe also provide details of their research project on the subject.
Last year, European scientists launched the "Human Brain Project" worth €1 billion, or about U.S. $1.4 billion. The project is aimed at developing infrastructure neuroscience and related research that will help improve the understanding of the human brain and its diseases. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | XINHUA]
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