London Brain Bank for research on neurodegenerative diseases: a resource for the neuroscience research community

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The purpose of the Brain Bank project is to advance the understanding, and enable research into the underlying causes, of neurodegenerative and neurological diseases by providing brain tissue to neuroscientists. The Brain Bank collects brain and spinal cord tissue from a variety of diseases, including Dementia (such as Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia), Autism, Schizophrenia and Motor Neurone Disease. Tissue is also collected from donors without such conditions to act as a healthy comparison in scientific studies.Brain tissue is studied in detail by neuropathologists and the disease is diagnosed according to internationally agreed criteria. Samples of brain tissue in various fixation states, such as frozen and formalin-fixed, are made available to Neuroscience research centres throughout the UK to help study the causes and develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for brain diseases. The Brain Bank enables donation of tissue through an ethically approved programme of informed consent, we aim to ensure donor care and keep contact with donor families, informing them of diagnosis and research progress. We follow the most recent ethical guidelines for best practice in Brain Banking, from recruiting donors and consent for post mortem examination to gold-standards of tissue collection, sample storage and the provision of tissue to researchers.A further objective is to provide professional teaching, training, information and educational resources for neuroscientists. We also promote knowledge of brain banking through scientific meetings, public open days, collaboration with charities and MRC newsletters.