MRC Network of UK Brain Banks: Support for the Coordinating Centre

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The UK is facing a major challenge to health services, carers and the economy in dealing with the increasing numbers of individuals who are suffering from progressive neurological diseases such as Alzheimer?s disease and Parkinson?s disease. As the population ages, increasing numbers of individuals are likely to develop these diseases and this places a high priority on improving our knowledge of these diseases, the mechanisms through which the brain is damaged, and identifying new opportunities for treatment and for better diagnostic tests in living patients. The aim of the Network of UK brain banks is to support this vital research by making brain tissue samples of the highest quality available to researchers in the UK. The Network will also address the shortage of normal tissue samples that are required as control material for the disease tissue samples. The Network will allow its members to work together in a more co-ordinated way, resulting in a more flexible and cost-efficient operation. The benefits of the Network for researchers will also be increased by creating a website that allows easy access to information on the nature and type of brain tissue samples stored in the various banks across the UK. The Network will also use the website to provide new information to potential brain tissue donors, and will direct these towards the most appropriate donor scheme operating at one of the banks in the Network. This project will therefore enable more research, not just into Alzheimer?s disease but into a wider range of neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, such as motor neurone disease and schizophrenia. These devastating disorders represent a major challenge for 21st century health care and have been identified as a priority area for the NHS. This Network will support the excellent research already being undertaken in the UK, and allow it to develop further at a faster rate than currently is possible. The Network will also provide a focus for the general public in understanding more about brain tissue donation, and this increased awareness will also help support research in the UK.