Q. I don’ t have any known brain disease; can I still donate my brain?
A. Yes, the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank actively searches for healthy brains. These serve as valuable control brains in research studies. It is very important to compare pathological changes in diseased brains with healthy brains. This helps scientists to better understand disease processes and to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Please contact the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank for more information on healthy brain donation. Please note that CurePSP cannot provide financial assistance for the donation of healthy brains. If you have any questions, you may contact Dr. Lawrence Golbe at CurePSP, at golbe @ curepsp. org or 347-294-2872.
After your decision to donate has been made, important paperwork is required to perform a legal tissue collection. Please follow the guidelines below and complete all four forms. You can download the forms from www. psp. org / ineedsupport / braindonation. Or you may contact Joanna Teters at teters @ curepsp. org or 347-294-2871, and we will send you a printed copy of the forms.
Please follow these seven steps:
1. Contact the Brain Bank coordinator, Rachel LaPaille-Harwood, who will help you understand the next steps and procedures. Phone: 904-953-2439, Monday-Friday, 7:00 a. m. to 3:30 p. m.( U. S. Eastern Time). Email: lapaille-harwood. rachel @ mayo. edu
2. Enroll in the Brain Bank by completing the Brain Bank Questionnaire( in the above-mentioned brochure) and mailing, faxing, or emailing it to the Brain Bank ahead of time. It is important that this information be on record once the brain arrives at the Mayo Clinic.
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3. Please send copies of the Medical Release Form to all of the following physicians and neurologists: |
a. |
Those who are listed on the Autopsy & Research Consent Form |
b. |
Those who have treated the patient for a neurodegenerative disease |
c. |
Those whose clinical records could assist the researchers at the Brain Bank |
4. The Medical Release Form authorizes physicians who diagnosed and / or treated the patient’ s neurological disease to send copies of their clinical notes to the Mayo Clinic. Only the patient or the next-of-kin can authorize the release of these records, which are important to the Mayo Clinic’ s researchers.
5. Complete the Autopsy Information Form. Make sure to have it placed in the patient’ s chart or medical files. The pathologist will sign and send the form, along with the brain tissue, to the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank.
6. Complete the Autopsy & Research Consent Form, signed by the patient and / or next-of-kin. Make sure to have it placed in the patient’ s chart or medical files. This is the actual consent for donation of a postmortem brain. This form can be signed only by the following individuals, and in this order of preference: patient, spouse, oldest adult child, parent, adult sibling, guardian, or power-of-attorney. For tissue collection to occur, the Autopsy & Research Consent Form, with original signature( s), and the Autopsy Information Form must accompany the deceased. Without a fully signed Autopsy & Research Consent Form, no brain donation is possible.
7. At the time of death, all family members and healthcare professionals need to know of the patient’ s wish to donate their brain. Please make sure that you have the pathologist’ s contact details available, so that they can be contacted immediately.