A charity has received pledges from 35 Bristolians willing to donate their brains for research into Parkinson's Disease.

But people are still being encouraged to offer up their grey matter to help scientists in their quest to come up with a cure for the neurological condition.

The Parkinson's Disease Society appealed for people to sign up to its brain register earlier this year.

Jane Asher and Jeremy Paxman had pledged their cells and were encouraging others to follow suit.

A total of 2,332 new brain donors signed up across the UK as a result of the call.

The charity needs people both with and without the neurological condition to register as donors.

Parkinson's affects movements such as walking, talking and writing, and occurs as a result of a loss of the nerve cells responsible for producing a chemical known as dopamine, which controls the movements.

There are about 10,000 people with Parkinson's in the South West and there is currently no cure.

Research using donated brain tissue has already led to major medical breakthroughs in the treatment and understanding of Parkinson's, including the development of Parkinson's drugs that have revolutionised the way symptoms of the condition are controlled.

In Bristol, 15 men and 20 women have signed up.

Dr Kieran Breen, director of research and development at the Parkinson's Disease Society, said: "We are passionate about finding a cure and better treatments for people with Parkinson's.

"We are delighted with the response to our appeal.

"Scientific research on brains from people both with and without Parkinson's is essential to help us."

To join the register contact 0808 800 0303 or www. parkinsons.org.uk/brainbank.