The Neuro-CEB brain bank collects samples from patients affected by Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebellar ataxias, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Cadasil, or from persons without neurological diseases ("controls").
A medical inclusion questionnaire is sent on request to the coordinator.
Only people living in France can join the Neuro-CEB brain donation program.
How can one give his/her brain ?
A consent is signed by the donor or by a next of kin testifying to his/her will. This consent is archived at the Biobank. The donor receives a memo and several forms eventually requested for the organization of post mortem brain removal. The donor also receives a card testifying to his/her will.
How is the brain removed post mortem ?
The quality of the samples is highly influenced by the time between death and brain removal. The coordinator is on call 7/7 during daytime in order to proceed to the transfer of the corpse to the nearest hospital of our neuropathological network. After the removal of the brain, the deceased is returned to his/her relatives for the funerals.
The transfer of the corpse and the removal of the brain are financially supported by the Neuro-CEB brain bank.
How are the samples processed ?
A random (anonymous) number is attributed to the samples to prevent later identification of the case. One hemisphere - randomy left or right- is examined by a neuropathologist who makes the diagnosis of the disease. The other hemisphere is sampled for research. The samples are conditioned according to several protocols including freezing for further molecular analysis. The frozen samples are stored in deep freezers (-80°C) located at Pitié-Salpétrière hospital.
The samples are provided to scientists, after examination of their research project by a scientific committee. The results of their research may be published in scientific journals. No individual result may be given back to the family (the samples have been anonymized).
To obtain more information, please refer to the French page.