An international team of over 300 scientists are taking on an ambitious project to identify eight common genetic mutations that appear to age the brain by three years on average. The team, known as Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA) Network, hopes to pave the way for new treatments for Alzheimer’s, autism and other neurological disorders.
Led by researchers at the University of Southern California, neuroscientists from more than 190 scientific institutions are bringing together a wealth of data, including brain scans and genetic data from 33 countries around the globe to identify and target genes that either enhance or deteriorate key brain regions.
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“I love this kind of work — it pays off financially, as people share resources and skills, and it gives us a power we never had in neuroscience,” said Thompson. “It is not just data. It’s also people in 33 countries working together to crack the brain’s genetic code. Having 300 of the world’s greatest minds attack the same problem reminds us of the allied code-breaking effort in World War II.”
The findings were published in the journal Nature.
