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P4‐010: Brains for dementia research providing human tissue for dementia research to further understanding and aid treatment discovery
Author(s) -
Hayes Gillian,
Hudspith Richard,
Francis Paul
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2011.05.2029
Subject(s) - tissue donation , dementia , economic shortage , brain tissue , donation , tissue bank , medicine , organ donation , pathology , transplantation , surgery , disease , government (linguistics) , linguistics , philosophy , economics , economic growth
Background: For a hundred years post-mortem brains have played a pivotal role in our understanding of the neurodegenerative processes occurring in dementia and provided significant clues as to the underlying causes of the symptoms observed. As approaches have become more sophisticated two things have become clear: (1) the value of relating clinical information obtained during life to post-mortem biochemistry, and (2) genetic association studies require large numbers of clinically, histopathologically and biochemically characterised tissue, underscoring the need for greater standardisation between brain tissue banks. Brains for Dementia Research (BDR) is a network of six UK brain banks/collection centres that aims to address the shortage of high-quality post-mortem brains frompeoplewith dementia and suitable control cases and provide researchers with the help they need to access the tissue. Methods: BDR planned brain donation programme includes regular cognitive, psychological and activity tests during life, with standardised procedures for brain donation, histopathological classification, storage and distribution. Potential donors can self refer directly or be contacted through clinics and existing cohorts. Researchers from any part of theworld can contact us or use an online searchable tissue database to find the tissue they need (www. brainsfordementiaresearch.org.uk) through a single tissue application form across all participating banks. In addition, BDR ethical approval includes devolved authority to review and approve tissue applications from the UK. Results: To date the coordinating centre has over 1250 enquiries, about 70% of which are healthy controls, with over 900 participants over 65 registered and clinically assessed. The brain banks provided additional cases so the tissue database contains over 400 well characterised cases available to researchers.Conclusions: This large joint initiative of the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research Trust has been welcomed by those affected by dementia and their families, as seen in the numbers self-referring to participate. There is some evidence that this system is already proving an easier route for researchers to access tissue needed for their studies, and in particular will help those researchers not working within neuropathology departments.