AlzheimUr Foundation [Región de Murcia]

Neurological diseases, in particular the neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer, Dementias with Lewy Bodies, Parkinson or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, are a heavy burden for thousands of patients and their families. They are sufferings that gradually deprive affected people from their physical and intellectual autonomy and impose huge sacrifices on to their families.
The currently practiced treatment is a result of a research that has lasted decades. It has achieved to alleviate the symptoms of the diseases in many of the cases but still there is no medicine that slows down the degeneration and the death of the neurons. The way medicine has developed, which has achieved landmarks of great importance including knowledge about human genomes, artificial implants, organ transplants and promising results of regenerative therapies, allows us to contemplate the future of neurodegenerative diseases with hope.
Never before have so many researches been carried out searching for efficient solutions against degenerative diseases. They are done using cultivated cells or animal testing, but it is essential to verify the obtained results with human tissue. Hence, it has never been so urgent to have brains available for research.
Brain banks have been created around the world during decades. Patients with neurodegenerative diseases as well as healthy people can donate to Brain Tissue Banks. In that way, when passed away, their brain tissue remains unaffected and undamaged and can therefore become a useful material for research.

The Region of Murcia now has a Brain Tissue Bank (BCRM) and you can become one of its donators.

BCRM PRESENTATION
The Brain Bank of the Region of Murcia is now located at the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca. In 2009, it will move to its definite place in the new headquarters of the AlzheimUr Centre in El Esparragal.

• WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DONATE A BRAIN FOR RESEARCH?
  The knowledge we have about the Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative diseases has mainly been gained through studies made on humans who have suffered the diseases. Due to the fact that many of these patients had donated their brains, the cell and molecule injuries that caused these diseases could be discovered.
• WHO CAN DONATE?
  We can all be donators. The reason being that although the tissue of the patient is essential in any examination of the changes produced in the cells and in the molecules, a study must be carried out simultaneously using healthy brains in order to secure the validity of the results. The patients, their relatives and caretakers, the researchers themselves and yourself... We can all be donators.
• HOW IS THE DONATION CARRIED OUT?The brain tissue is extracted shortly after the person passes away. Part of the tissue is taken aside, to be frozen and stored. Another part is prepared for being diagnosed. This neuropathologic diagnosis is the definite diagnosis of the donator.
• WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO AND WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY HAVE TO DO?
  If you decide to donate your brain for research, you must read carefully the documents of information formulated by the Brain Bank and sign the document of Donation.
• DOES IT CREATE ANY DISTURBANCE OR ADDITIONAL COST FOR THE FAMILIES?
  The process of donation never produces any great disturbance, nor does it include any additional cost for the family.
• WHAT BENEFITS CAN THE RELATIVES RECEIVE?
  The relatives will receive a neuropathologic report, approximately two months after the autopsy. It includes the definite diagnosis of the disease and all the processes that were followed during the study and documentation of the brain.
• WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE TISSUE AND ITS INFORMATION IN THE FUTURE?
  The frozen brain tissue and the tissue used for the diagnosis remain filed for an indefinite time under the custody of the Brain Bank, which exposes them so they can be employed for research and according to the scientific requirements and ethical norms established by the organization. All personal information is used in a strictly confidential manner, based on the legislation in force in our country. The samples of tissue will not contain any information that can connect them to personal information.

Brain Bank in the Region of Murcia
To sign up as brain donors: Tel: (24 hours):++(34) 618 68 03 70
For further information: Tel: ++ (34) 968 39 55 23 (From 8 am to 3 pm)
e-mail: bancocerebros@fundacionalzheimur.org
web: www.fundacionalzheimur.org