London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Bank; a national resource for neuroscience research

The Brain Bank collects post-mortem brain tissue from persons with neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and motor neuron disease. Wherever possible data from previous clinical examinations, neuropsychological tests and neuroimaging are also collected. The brain tissue is examined by neuropathologists and disease is diagnosed according to internationally agreed criteria. Samples of brain and spinal cord tissue in various fixation states, such as frozen and formalin-fixed, are then made available to Neuroscience researchers. The purpose of the project is to provide clinically studied and pathologically verified brain tissue to facilitate and promote internationally competitive research into Neurodegenerative disease. The Brain Bank aims are to fulfill international recommendations and guidelines with regard to brain tissue banking. As such, this involves the systematic and focused collection of well-characterised post-mortem material and its subsequent distribution to research groups both regionally and nationally. This will necessarily underpin high quality and peer-reviewed research. The following is a summary of the key functions of the Brain Bank: 1. To advance the understanding of, and facilitate research into the underlying causes of neurodegenerative and neurological diseases through the provision of clinically and neuropathologically well-characterised brain tissue to the research community. 2. To facilitate brain donation through an ethically approved programme of informed consent for donation. 3. To provide pathological diagnosis to the relatives of brain donors according to best national and international protocols. 4. To coordinate the processing and dissemination of well-preserved brain tissue and maintain an open door policy of responding to requesters without prejudice. 5. To ensure donor care and keep contact with brain donor families, informing them about diagnosis and progress in research. 6. To disseminate and promote knowledge of brain banking through scientific meetings, public open days, collaboration with charities and MRC newsletters. 7. To provide professional teaching, training, information and educational resources for neuroscientists and medical trainees. 8. To facilitate collaboration between basic research scientists, pathologists and clinicians to promote transitional research to help develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for brain diseases. 9. To maintain gold standards of excellence in Brain Banking for storage of frozen and formalin-fixed brain tissue. 10. To follow most recent ethical principles for best practice in Brain Banking, from consenting donors to tissue requests and strictly follow the guidelines of the Human Tissue Act.

Clincally assessed and neuropathologically characterised human post-mortem brain and spinal cord tissue is one of the most important resources for research into neurodegeneration. Continued access to high quality tissue is vital for the development of current research strategies and future clinical treatments. There has been significant research progress during the last three decades, which has increased demand for brain tissue from brain banks. The London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Bank at the IOP has become a leader in the field of brain banking and a major source of high quality brain tissue, not only for researchers at the IOP and elsewhere in London but throughout the UK and worldwide and has thus contributed to the success of many research studies. Material from the Brain Bank is also essential for the progress of a number of on-going research programmes. The aim of the Brain Bank is to achieve gold standard in brain banking through programmed brain donation, including regulated ad-hoc donations, following best practice in ethical matters relating to consenting, donor family care, high standards of storage of brain tissue and easy access to tissue for researchers. We aim to continue to focus our banking on neurodegenerative diseases including MND/FTLD and movement disorders, Alzheimer s disease and related dementias and vascular dementia but also to facilitate other collections, such as psychosis, traumatic brain injury (to study it s relation to neurodegeneration) and paediatric disorders in order to enhance research in these areas. The ultimate goal is to contribute to understanding the mechanisms of neurodegeneration, in order to prepare the way for new scientifically based treatments and preventions as well as play an integral part in clinical studies and the evaluation of clinical trials.