Frontiers in Neuroscience (Oct 2012)

The NKI-Rockland Sample: A Model for Accelerating the Pace of Discovery Science in Psychiatry

  • Kate Brody Nooner,
  • Kate Brody Nooner,
  • Stanley eColcombe,
  • Russell eTobe,
  • Maarten eMennes,
  • Melissa eBenedict,
  • Alexis eMoreno,
  • Laura ePanek,
  • Shaquanna eBrown,
  • Stephen eZavitz,
  • Qingyang eLi,
  • Sharad eSikka,
  • David eGutman,
  • Saroja eBangaru,
  • Rochelle Tziona eSchlachter,
  • Stephanie eKamiel,
  • Ayesha eAnwar,
  • Caitlin eHinz,
  • Michelle eKaplan,
  • Anna eRachlin,
  • Samantha eAdelsberg,
  • Brian eCheung,
  • Ranjit eKhanuja,
  • Chaogan eYan,
  • Cameron eCraddock,
  • Cameron eCraddock,
  • Vincent eCalhoun,
  • Vincent eCalhoun,
  • William eCourtney,
  • Margaret eKing,
  • Dylan eWood,
  • Christine eCox,
  • Clare eKelly,
  • Adriana eDiMartino,
  • Eva ePetkova,
  • Philip eReiss,
  • Nancy eDuan,
  • Dawn eThompsen,
  • Bharat eBiswal,
  • Barbara eCoffey,
  • Barbara eCoffey,
  • Matthew eHoptman,
  • Matthew eHoptman,
  • Daniel C Javitt,
  • Daniel C Javitt,
  • Nunzio ePomara,
  • Nunzio ePomara,
  • John eSidtis,
  • John eSidtis,
  • Harold eKoplewicz,
  • Francisco Xavier Castellanos,
  • Francisco Xavier Castellanos,
  • Bennett eLeventhal,
  • Michael eMilham,
  • Michael eMilham

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2012.00152
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6

Abstract

Read online

The National Institute of Mental Health strategic plan for advancing psychiatric neuroscience calls for an acceleration of discovery and the delineation of developmental trajectories for risk and resilience across the lifespan. To attain these objectives, sufficiently powered datasets with broad and deep phenotypic characterization, state-of-the-art neuroimaging, and genetic samples must be generated and made openly available to the scientific community. The enhanced Nathan Kline Institute Rockland Sample (NKI-RS) is a response to this need. NKI-RS is an ongoing, institutionally-centered endeavor aimed at creating a large-scale (N>1000), deeply phenotyped, community-ascertained, lifespan sample (ages 6-85 years old) with advanced neuroimaging and genetics. These data will be publically shared, openly and prospectively (i.e., on a weekly basis). Herein, we describe the conceptual basis of the NKI-RS, including study design, sampling considerations, and steps to synchronize phenotypic and neuroimaging assessment. Additionally, we describe our process for sharing the data with the scientific community while protecting participant confidentiality, maintaining an adequate database, and certifying data integrity. The pilot phase of the NKI-RS, including challenges in recruiting, characterizing, imaging, and sharing data, is discussed while also explaining how this experience informed the final design of the enhanced NKI-RS. It is our hope that familiarity with the conceptual underpinnings of the enhanced NKI-RS will facilitate harmonization with future data collection efforts aimed at advancing psychiatric neuroscience and nosology.

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