| Unique quantitative sensory testing methods and associated testing apparatus developed by Tommerdahl et. al. have enabled objective evaluation of intra-cortical communication mechanisms, which appears to be sensitive to neurologic disorders that impair normal sensory function. The proposed non-invasive diagnostic procedure enabling objective assessment of the status of the glia in sensory cortex of a patient has the potential for significant impact in the fields of gerontology, toxicology, and general medicine in the way of autism and chronic pain diagnosis, and acute head injury assessment. A central aim of this project is efficient storage of data obtained from disparate research locations into a centralized database, accessible to all researchers utilizing this same testing method and apparatus. Due to its aggregate nature of many different data sources, this ontological database will allow for invaluable data mining across a growing population of subject and patient observations. |
