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P2‐101: Brains for Dementia Research: Providing human tissue for dementia research to promote understanding of pathogenesis and aid drug discovery
Author(s) -
Hayes Gillian,
Hudspith Richard,
Francis Paul
Publication year - 2012
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.2012.05.806
Subject(s) - dementia , brain tissue , economic shortage , sophistication , tissue bank , medicine , pathology , disease , social science , linguistics , philosophy , government (linguistics) , sociology
Background: Brains for Dementia Research (BDR) is a network of six UK brain banks/collection centres that aims to address the shortage of highquality post-mortem brains from people with dementia and suitable control cases and provide researchers with the help they need to access the tissue. Post-mortem brains are critical to our understanding of neurodegenerative processes in dementia and the underlying causes of the symptoms observed. With increasing research sophistication the availability of tissue from individuals treated with dementia medication confirms the impact of treatment on pathology, which can inform future therapeutic research. Thus the need for quality post mortem brain tissue and the requirement for greater standardisation between brain tissue banks collaboratively providing samples remains high. Methods: Brain tissue from a range of dementias and healthy controls that have significant clinical, neuropathological and psychometric assessment information is available through BDR. Researchers worldwide can contact us or use an online tissue database to find tissue (www. brainsfordementiaresearch.org.uk) and complete a single tissue application form across all participating banks. Researchers can informally discuss requirements in terms of cases and tissue format prior to applying for tissue. Ongoing recruitment of potential donors occurs through self refer or contact through clinics and existing cohorts. Results: Brain tissue available: over 500 well characterised, high quality cases from a range of dementias and controls are available for researchers. Potential brain donors: more than 1200 clinically assessed participants aged 65 and over, 70% of which are healthy controls, projected to expand to 2500. Tissue distributed: since January 2010 we have processed approximately 30 tissue requests which could not be met by individual tissue banks, including contributing to a large GWAS study. What is welcome is that about 10% of tissue applications are from researchers who have not previously used human brain tissue. Conclusions: This initiative of the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research Trust has been welcomed by those affected by dementia and their families. BDR is an easy route for researchers to access tissue needed for their studies, and in particular will help those researchers not workingwithin neuropathology departments.