Oregon Brain Bank
Human tissue repository for neurodegenerative research studies.
The Oregon Brain Bank was established in 1990 with the assistance of the Alzheimer Research Alliance of Oregon. The bank serves two main functions; first to provide a neuropathologic diagnosis of organic dementia's in a cohort of NIH sponsored research subjects, and second, to harvest, bank and disperse postmortem tissues for use in neurodegenrative research. Although the focus of the OBB is on Alzheimer's disease, tissues from patients with Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Controls, and other disorders are also available. Requests for tissue specimens should be submitted to the contact below.
What is a Brain Autopsy?
It is the examination of the brain tissue after death. The brain is preserved and small samples are examined under a microscope by a neuropathologist to determine the disease process. It remains the only reliable means of confirming the specific diagnosis of a dementing illness. Brain autopsies provide a valuable resource for research into the cause of the devastating illnesses that strike the brain, as well as a source of normal brain tissue from "control" cases who did not have dementia.
Why is it important?
There are two main reasons: To determine the precise cause of a patient’s dementia, and to advance medical research. Autopsy tissue is vital to studies aimed at determining the cause, prevention and cure of dementia.
What is the Cost?
Patients enrolled in special research protocols receive this service at no cost.
Links:
Layton Aging & Disease Center
Contact us:
Tissue Distribution Committee
Oregon Brain Bank
Department of Pathology, L-113
Neuropath Section
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road
Portland, OR 97239
Phone: (503) 494-6923