About

Innovations in methods and technologies are equipping researchers with unprecedented capabilities for detecting and characterizing pathologic processes in the developing human brain. As a result, there is growing enthusiasm about the prospect of access to clinically useful tools that can assist in the diagnosis and management of mental health and learning disorders. For these ambitions to be realized, it is critical to accrue large-scale multimodal datasets that capture a broad range of commonly encountered clinical psychopathology. To this end, the Child Mind Institute launched the Healthy Brain Network in 2015, an ongoing initiative focused on creating and sharing a data resource comprised of data from at least 10,000 New York City area children and adolescents (ages 5-21). The Healthy Brain Network utilizes a community-referred recruitment model. Initially, study advertisements sought the participation of families with concerns about one or more mental health or learning concerns in their child. The Healthy Brain Network stores and openly shares de-identified data about psychiatric, behavioral, cognitive, and lifestyle (e.g., fitness, diet) phenotypes, as well as multimodal brain imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), digital voice and video recordings, genetics, and actigraphy. Beyond accelerating transdiagnostic research, the Healthy Brain Network resource has the potential to advance related areas, such as biophysical modeling, voice and speech analysis, natural viewing fMRI and EEG, and methods optimization.

The various webpages on the present site provide detailed information about the Healthy Brain Network data. However, before data usage, we strongly recommend you download and read the Healthy Brain Network resource paper. We also encourage all users to regularly check the Release Information section. This page will post the most up to date information regarding changes in HBN protocols or procedures, as well as any fixes that arise for data that has been shared.

The measures utilized in the Healthy Brain Network have changed over time and will continue to be refined in the future. Some reasons for measure changes include the development of new research questions, new or alternative versions of measures becoming available, and changes to available study resources. Relevant change information is detailed in the Release Information section.

Please visit the Healthy Brain Network program website if you want to have a child evaluated or learn how to connect families with no-cost comprehensive research evaluations.

The Healthy Brain Network and its collaborative initiatives are supported by philanthropic contributions from the following individuals, foundations and organizations: Margaret Bilotti; Brooklyn Nets; Agapi and Bruce Burkard; James Chang; Phyllis Green and Randolph Cowen; Grieve Family Fund; Susan Miller and Byron Grote; Sarah and Geoff Gund; George Hall; Jonathan M. Harris Family Foundation; Joseph P. Healey; The Hearst Foundations; Eve and Ross Jaffe; Howard & Irene Levine Family Foundation; Rachael and Marshall Levine; George and Nitzia Logothetis; Christine and Richard Mack; Julie Minskoff; Valerie Mnuchin; Morgan Stanley Foundation; Amy and John Phelan; Roberts Family Foundation; Jim and Linda Robinson Foundation, Inc.; Linda and Richard Schaps; Zibby Schwarzman; Abigail Pogrebin and David Shapiro; Stavros Niarchos Foundation; Preethi Krishna and Ram Sundaram; Amy and John Weinberg; Donors to the 2013 Child Advocacy Award Dinner Auction; Donors to the 2012 Brant Art Auction.

We thank the Communications, Development, Finance, and Human Resource teams at the Child Mind Institute (past and present) for their endless support, as well as the CMI Executive Team and the Child Mind Institute Scientific Research Council for their guidance and critical feedback in the planning of the Healthy Brain Network; Judith Gardner and Bernard Karmel for assisting in the recruitment efforts; Tammy Vanderwaal and Uri Hasson for their consultation in the selection of movies for the natural viewing paradigms; Simon Kelly for his assistance with devising the EEG battery; Megan Horton for advising us to add the collection of baby teeth; Antonio Convit for information regarding assessments of body composition; Stan Colcombe for information regarding fitness assessments; and Michael Michaelides for advising us to add hair samples for metals. Additionally, we would like to thank Joan Kaufman and Ken Kobak for providing access to the newly developed computerized KSADS and Ted Satterthwaite for helpful comments on the manuscript during its preparation.

We also acknowledge and thank Staten Island Borough President James Oddo, Staten Island Health and Wellness Director Dr. Ginny Mantello, and New York State Senator Andrew J. Lanza and his team (specifically William Matarazzo and Anthony Reinhart) for their guidance in developing strong partnerships throughout Staten Island, and their continued support of the project. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the mental health organizations, service providers, and clinicians across Staten Island, and NYC at large, who continue to work with our staff and refer participants to the project. Our sincere gratitude is extended to the participants and their families for their contributions to this project.