Press Release December 08, 2009 Major Databases Link Up to
Advance Autism Research Researchers studying autism spectrum
disorders (ASD) will soon have access to a vast range of data
and research tools through the NIH National Database for Autism
Research (NDAR). Different labs often collect the same kinds of
data. But they are often described differently, making it
difficult to pool those data in any meaningful way. The NDAR
research portal was designed to specifically address these
differences by providing tools to define and standardize the
complex data landscape that characterizes ASD research. "Open
access to data from many people and many studies is paramount in
ASD research because of the tremendous range of symptom type and
severity among those affected," said NIMH Director Thomas R.
Insel, M.D. "This network of digital resources will enable the
research community to more quickly solve the scientific puzzle
of ASD." By spring 2010, NDAR will make available the data from
more than 10,000 participants en