Discover the Research Behind Brain Donations

The use of human brain tissue has led to many important discoveries, which are now being used to help prevent, diagnose and treat neurological disorders. One donation can provide tissue for hundreds of studies. See how donors are helping to advance health. View the accompanying sections below to find out more information about common neurological disorders, descriptions of pivotal research papers that used donated human brain tissue and the impact of these discoveries.

For more information about these diseases and other brain disorders please visit the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

Research Highlight

Neuropathology is instrumental in Alzheimer's research, enabling the examination of brain tissue, identification of biomarkers, and the development of early diagnostic and treatment methods, while ongoing research aims to unravel the complexities of dementia.

Read more from the National Institute on Aging

Learn how brain donations are helping scientists better understand, prevent, diagnose, and/or treat the following:

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Depression

Bipolar Disorder

Schizophrenia

Multiple Sclerosis

Epilepsy

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

The Gift of Donation

The hopes of people affected by brain diseases rest on the discoveries made possible by tissue donation. Although substantial progress has been made in understanding the causes and treatment of these disorders, a limited supply of donated human tissues is a barrier to progress in further understanding these diseases.