Calgary Normative Study

The Calgary Normative Study (CNS) is an ongoing, longitudinal study of normal human brain aging whihc focuses on acquiring quantitative MR imaging structural and functional data. The CNS began in 2014 and to date over 450 subjects have been enrolled (18-90+ years) with over 200 subjects having had follow-up imaging after a period of approximately 3.5 years. We anticipate enrolling additional subjects and acquiring follow up data at 7 years and later.

Each subject receives an imaging battery (including T1 morphology, perfusion and diffusion imaging, resting state fMRI, quantitative susceptibility mapping), resting-state fMRI and T1 and T2 relaxometry, plus a simple cognitive test and acquisition of a medical history. See our "protocol" paper:

• McCreary CR, Salluzzi M, Andersen LB, Gobbi D, Lauzon ML, Saad F, Smith EE, Frayne R. Calgary Normative Study: Design of a Prospective Longitudinal Study to Characterise Potential Quantitative MR Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration over the Adult Lifespan. BMJ Open 2020; 10: e038120.

Representative Publications

• Tsang A, Lebel CA, Bray SL, Goodyear BG, Hafeez M, Sotero RC, McCreary CR, Frayne R. White Matter Structural Connectivity Is Not Correlated to Cortical Resting-State Functional Connectivity over the Healthy Adult Lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci. 2017; 9: 144.
• MacDonald ME, Williams RJ, Forkert ND, Berman AJL, McCreary CR, Frayne R, Pike GB. Inter- Database Variability in Cortical Thickness Measurements. Cerebral Cortex. 2018; 29: 3282-3293.
• MacDonald ME, Williams RJ, Rajashekar D, Stafford RB, Hanganu A, Sun H, Berman AJL, McCreary CR, Frayne R, Forkert ND, Pike GB. Age-related differences in cerebral blood flow and cortical thickness with an application to age prediction. Neurobiology of Aging 2020; 95: 131-142.
• Treit S, Stolz E, Rickard JN, McCreary CR, Bagshawe M, Frayne R, Lebel C, Emery D, Beaulieu C. Lifespan volume trajectories from non-harmonized T1-weighted MRI do not differ after site correction based on traveling human phantoms. Front Neurol. 2022; 13: 826564. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.826564
• Salluzzi M, McCreary CR, Gobbi DG, Lauzon ML, Frayne R. Short-term repeatability and long-term reproducibility of quantitative MR imaging biomarkers in a single centre longitudinal study. Neuroimage 2022; 260: 119488. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119488

Prospective Trainee Requirements

Interest in aging, disease of aging, and imaging with a degree (MSc preferred) in Biomedical, Computer, or Electrical Engineering. Suitable candidates with degrees in Health Sciences, Medical Sciences or Neurosciences may also be appropriate for this project. A good grasp of MR imaging, image processing techniques, and statistics would be highly beneficial. Must have good oral and written English communication skills.