Autopsy Assistance and Brain Donor Programs

Established in 1985, U.Va.'s Brain Resource Facility offers two programs which give individuals an unique opportunity to provide a service to their families and to scientists conducting research on disorders of the nervous system. Through the Autopsy Assistance and Brain Donor programs families can receive the information they need to preplan an autopsy and, if they desire, donate tissue for research.

The definitive diagnosis of many neurological disorders can be made only by the examination of brain tissue. Because there are no cures for many of these diseases, even if the correct diagnosis is known, a brain biopsy is usually not recommended. A confirmed diagnosis, made possible by an autopsy, may help a patient's family to better understand the patient's illness. A definite diagnosis will also allow physicians to more accurately predict the risk of these disorders in relatives and possibly begin therapy in the early stages.

In addition to confirming a diagnosis, some patients and families request that tissue be donated for research. The use of human tissue for research is an invaluable way of validating results found in research work done using animal tissue. In diseases where there is no effective way to mimic the disorder in animals, human tissue may provide scientists with the only clues available for developing improved treatments, means of prevention and ultimately cures for the disease.

When tissue or fluid samples meeting specific research requirements become available, the material is rapidly preserved and stored in the Brain Resource Facility for later study. Samples from the Brain Resource Facility have made a valuable contribution to the work of scientists at U.Va. and across the country who are studying neurodegenerative diseases.