-
- Posted Thursday July 30, 2015
Simple 10-minute MindCrowd quiz could help TGen understand Alzheimer's disease
Hundreds of honor society students from across the nation will join more than 60,000 others who have taken the test
PHOENIX, Ariz. - July 30, 2015 - Hundreds of
collegiate members of Mortar Board National College Senior Honor
Society from across the nation attending this weekend's Society
conference in Phoenix will learn how they can become catalysts for
thousands more to take a unique test designed to help understand
Alzheimer's disease.
MindCrowd, designed by the Translational Genomics Research
Institute (TGen), tests a particular type of memory in healthy
brains. This word-pair test, first developed in 1894, has been
revamped for the digital age, providing insight into the workings
of Alzheimer's disease.
"We are using online crowd-sourcing to study how the brain works
in healthy people so we can better understand brain disease," said
Dr. Matt Huentelman, Associate Professor of Neurogenomics at TGen,
who will speak Saturday at the conference about the MindCrowd
project and how it is changing scientific research. "I am pleased
that Mortar Board is so willing to help us advance
MindCrowd."
So far, more than 60,000 people from all 50 states and more than
100 countries have taken the free, simple, 10-minute memory test at
www.MindCrowd.org.
"MindCrowd is a revolutionary approach to understanding our
differences in brain performance and how genetic factors impact our
memory as we age," Dr. Huentelman explained.
In one of the preliminary MindCrowd findings, researchers found
that sex matters: Regardless of age, women outscore men by an
average of 6 percent, although more women than men eventually
develop Alzheimer's.
MindCrowd represent the first time online research has been
gathered and analyzed for insight into the genetic relationship
between memory and Alzheimer's.
Collegiate members of Mortar Board will be introduced to the
MindCrowd project and will be encouraged to become ambassadors for
MindCrowd on their campuses and through their Mortar Board
chapters.
"Assisting in Alzheimer's research is a perfect fit with Mortar
Board's Ideals of scholarship, leadership and service. Once
introduced to the ways they can help promote MindCrowd, our members
will help spread the word to encourage many others to take the
test," said Mortar Board Executive Director Jane Hamblin. "The
multiplier-effect could increase the number of test-takers
profoundly."
Launched in 2013, Phase 1 of the MindCrowd project involves online
memory testing with a goal of 1 million study participants, age 18
and up.
As the MindCrowd quiz continues, Phase 2 launches this summer when
researchers begin contacting Phase 1 test-takers to ask if they are
willing to donate a DNA saliva sample and undergo more intensive
online brain tests.
With DNA information, Dr. Huentelman's team will look for
biomarkers that may be precursors of Alzheimer's and other brain
diseases.
Of the more than 60,000 test takers, about half have agreed to be
contacted for follow up. And of the 14,000 young adult test takers,
age 18-24, about 3,000 have agreed to conduct follow-up tests, one
of the largest participating groups.
With each additional decade in age, test-takers miss about two
more word-pairs on the quiz. College students may have an
advantage: Performance on the quiz increases as education levels
rise.
Anyone can participate in this research project by visiting MindCrowd.org. Because it is a scientific
research project, each participant must complete a web-based
consent form before taking the quiz. The test cannot be taken on a
mobile phone.
# # #
About Mortar Board
Mortar Board is the premier national honor society recognizing
college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship,
leadership and service. Since its founding in 1918, more than a
quarter of a million members have been initiated at 231 chartered
chapters across the United States. Mortar Board provides its
members with opportunities for continued leadership development,
promotes service to colleges and universities, and encourages
lifelong contributions to the global community. Some notable Mortar
Board members include professional football player and
philanthropist Drew Brees, former United States Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice and award-winning actor Marion Ross. Learn more
about Mortar Board at www.mortarboard.org.
About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused
on helping patients with cancer, neurological disorders and
diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process
of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen
physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of
both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children.
Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical
communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial
contribution to help our patients through efficiency and
effectiveness of the translational process. For more information,
visit:www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
