Psychiatric and neurological disorders are common in the United States, resulting in significant loss in quality of life, interfering with family functioning, and the ability to work. The likelihood of being diagnosed with a neurological disorder continues to increase with age, and the lengthening U.S. lifespan means more people will likely suffer from these disorders. In addition, neurodevelopmental disorders in children take a huge toll on quality of life. The need for research to further understand these disorders continues to be a priority.

While substantial progress has been made in understanding these disorders, there are still many unanswered questions to be addressed. The limited supply of donated tissues is a barrier to progress in understanding these diseases.

By increasing the amount of tissue available for research, we will be able to support scientists' research to better understand how to prevent, diagnose, treat and cure disorders of the human brain. The hopes of people affected by brain diseases rest on the discoveries made possible by tissue donation.