Bristolians asked to donate brains for Parkinson's research
People in Bristol are being encouraged to donate their brains to scientists to help develop a cure for Parkinson's disease.
TV presenter Jeremy Paxman and actress Jane Asher have already pledged their brains to the cause.
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The Parkinson's Disease Society, which celebrates its 40th birthday this year, has only 100 registered brain donors in the South West and believes the shortage is hindering scientists in their attempts to find a cure.
The charity is calling for people, whether they have the disease or not, 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 no cure.
Research using donated brain tissue has led to major medical breakthroughs in the treatment and understanding of Parkinson's.
Such studies were instrumental in the development of anti-Parkinson's drugs, such as levodopa, which has revolutionised the way symptoms of the condition are controlled.
The Parkinson's Disease Society has 1,000 brain donors registered across the UK but it wants to double the number of pledges by the end of 2009.
The charity funds the UK's largest brain bank at Imperial College London, which collects the brain, spinal chord and cerebrospinal fluid after death.
One donated brain can be used for as many as 50 different research projects and over the last seven years, the PDS has supplied tissue to research projects around the world.
Among the projects the charity funds is stem-cell research at Bristol University, which it hopes will help find ways to repair brains affected by the condition.
Society chief executive Steve Ford, said: "In our 40th Anniversary year, we want everyone in the South West to think about how they can support us in the search for a cure for Parkinson's.
"If it feels right, then one way you can help could be to sign up to our brain donor register."
To join the brain donor register contact 0808 800 0303, or emailing pdbrain@imperial.ac.uk.
3 Comments
by Zoe, Portishead
Tuesday, April 21 2009, 11:59AM
“I still dont know why donation isn't done on an opt-out basis rather than an opt-in basis. Wasn't there a study done recently that showed a huge number of people not on the donar list are not on it purely because they haven't got round to signing up. People who do not wish to donate thier organs oppose for strong reasons, so would therefore be more likely to opt out than someone who would like to donate but not got round to opting in! My grandad suffered from Parkinsons for 25 years and passed away last year. It's a shocking, awful, crushing disease, watching someone you love slowly deteriorate with it is just the worst thing in the world. It is still not able to be cured and I am so pleased this iniative is being taken up. More research needs to be done and I hope more people will donate their brains in order to help acheive this goal.”
by Vic, Bristol
Tuesday, April 21 2009, 9:53AM
“When I was last in Broadmead (or whatever it's called now) there appeared to be some knuckle-draggers who had already made their generous donation.”
by Drew, Brislington
Tuesday, April 21 2009, 8:46AM
“Just Bristolians?”