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UKCRC Health Research Classification System

Sleep and studies of sleep disorders

Advice on health categories

Studies of sleep follow the same guidance as neuropsychology:

  • Studies mapping normal behaviour or cognitive processes to brain regions should be coded 50% Neurological and 50% Mental Health.
  • Studies of abnormal behaviour and psychology will generally be coded as Mental Health.
  • Studies of abnormal brain and neural structures will generally be coded as Neurological.
  • Studies of circadian rhythm are often but not always Neurological.

Sleep disorders refer to studies which investigate sleep disturbances.  They are divided into six main categories:

  • Insomnia – should be coded as Neurological.
  • Sleep related breathing disorders – e.g. sleep apnoea – should be coded as Respiratory.
  • Hypersomnias – e.g. narcolepsy – should be coded as Neurological.
  • Circadian rhythm sleep disorders – should be coded as Neurological.
  • Parasomnias – e.g. sleepwalking – usually involve motor and verbal elements and should be coded as Neurological.
  • Sleep related movement disorders – e.g. restless leg syndrome – should be coded as 50% Neurological and 50% Musculoskeletal.

 

Main inclusion criteria

Dementias, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, Parkinson’s disease, neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and studies of the normal brain and nervous system.

 

Advice on health categories

This category is suitable for studies of the ‘wiring’ of the brain.

Includes studies of TSEs, CJD and prion protein.

Studies on circadian rhythm are often but not always Neurological.

Other conditions where disruption to circadian rhythm is linked to disease should be coded to the appropriate health category. For example, circadian influence on immune cells in rheumatoid arthritis would be coded as Inflammatory and Immune System.

Studies on headaches and migraine are often but not always Neurological.

Headaches resulting from other conditions may require alternative or additional health categories, following the rules for sequelae. For example, headaches resulting from visual impairments can be coded 50% Eye, 50% Neurological.

Studies of the Blood-Brain Barrier, vascular cognitive impairments and vascular dementia should be coded as Neurological unless there is significant additional emphasis on either circulation (50% Cardiovascular, 50% Neurological) or the blood flow to the brain (50% Neurological, 50% Stroke).

Excludes studies dealing with the brain of individuals with a psychological condition listed in the Mental Health category which should be coded as 100% Mental Health.
 

Official terminology

Full name of category

Short name Unique ID
Neurological Neuro

HRCS_HC_13NEU

 

Related external links

International Classifications of Diseases (ICD 10 v2016) – Chapter VI:   Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99)
 

Main inclusion criteria

Depression, schizophrenia, psychosis and personality disorders, addiction, suicide, anxiety, eating disorders, learning disabilities, bipolar disorder, autistic spectrum disorders and studies of normal psychology, cognitive function and behaviour.

 

Advice on health categories

Mental Health should be used for all normal cognitive research categorised to 1.2 Psychological i.e. behaviour learning, memory, language, perception etc.

Studies dealing with the brain of individuals with a psychological condition listed in the Mental Health category should be coded as 100% Mental Health and not as Neurological.
 

Official terminology

Full name of category

Short name Unique ID
Mental health Mental

HRCS_HC_10MEN

 

Related external links

International Classification of Diseases (ICD 10 v2016) – Chapter V:   Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
 

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