Is the Alzheimer’s’ brain different from that of an unaffected individual? What about the brain from a severely depressed or schizophrenic patient? The key to these questions may lie in the brains themselves. This is why donation of brain tissue has become an important element for mental health research.

Since 1980 the Douglas has had the delicate and critical task of recruiting donors to their Brain Bank, which provides the scientific community with precious samples of brain tissues. As part of National Organ Donation Awareness Week (April 22 to 29) the Douglas is increasing the public’s awareness of brain donation.

“There are a growing number of people who suffer from neurodegenerative and mental illnesses. It is thus increasingly important for researchers to have easy access to a variety of brain tissues,” says Douglas Brain Bank Director and researcher, Naguib Mechawar, PhD. “Study of these donated tissues enables investigators to study how the normal brain works, and how it is disturbed by mental illnesses or neurological diseases.“

“Brain donation is a precious and ultimate gift that gives hope to future generations,” says Danielle Cécyre, coordinator of the Douglas Brain Bank. “It is a relatively a simple procedure which can be initiated by signing a form that dedicates the donation of the brain.”

“We have an urgent need for brains that come from healthy individuals in order to compare them with others that have abnormalities. This being said, we also have a pressing need for brains that have been affected by neurological or mental disorders,” adds Cécyre.

Simple procedures have been established to authorize brain donation. Individuals who are interested or would like to have more information can call the Douglas at 514-761-6131, extension “0” and ask for the Brain Bank or visit the website at www.douglasrecherche.qc.ca/brain-banks. There are no age restrictions for a donor.

Founded in 1980, the Douglas’ Bank is the oldest in Canada and one of the two largest. It provides the scientific community with precious samples of brain tissues of optimal quality and preservation. Presently, the Brain Bank owns several hundreds of frozen brains (1,569 brains have been donated since 1980). It has allowed for researchers at the Douglas and elsewhere to make important scientific discoveries, most notably in the domains of schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Its creation was made possible due to a major financial investment, primarily from the Douglas Hospital Foundation.

For neuropathological evaluations, Brain Bank staff work directly with neuropathologists and pathologists at the Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, the Montreal Neurological Institute, the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke and Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont. The Brain Bank is subsidized by the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ).