Brain Autopsy Brochure Here
We urgently need your help…
Print letter about brochure here Brochure Invite
Knowledge of neurodegenerative disease and other disorders of the nervous system—including
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—rely heavily on the examination of post-mortem
human brain tissue. In order to increase our understanding of the nervous system, there is a need to
collect and examine brain tissue from individuals with a variety of backgrounds and you play a vital role
in that process.
We desperately need your help in acquiring cases and performing donation procedures, so that
we can accelerate efforts to prevent and treat each disorder. We are seeking donations of people who
played in collision type sports, had military combat duty, or were victims of domestic abuse. It is
believed that many times the symptoms of CTE, PTSD, TBI and ALS develop over many years and may be
linked to exposures long forgotten. If you are presented with a case of suicide, drug over-dose, or
reckless act, we are asking you to contact the next-of-kin about prior history that meet our inclusion
criteria. There are no costs for this study and identification of donors is confidential. Autopsies of the
brain may provide families with critical information they may never have considered and allow them to
find understanding from the tragedy while furthering science.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are now
funding brain banks at the Bedford VA Medical Center in Massachusetts under the direction of Dr. Ann
McKee to acquire, process, and distribute brains of athletes and veterans at risk for or with a history of
CTE, TBI, ALS, and PTSD. These are scientific endeavors to seek truth and help protect future
generations.
We request that you reach out to the appropriate donation coordinator when you have a case
that meets our current inclusion criteria (see below) for the studies. Additionally, we are always looking
to expand our network of qualified individuals to help with donation procedures. If you are willing to
help with cases in your area:
Laney Evers, Research Assistant
Boston University CTE Center
Office: 617-358-5994
Email: LEVERS@bu.edu
Signed: McKee, Wecht, Nowinski, Zegel
Below are summaries of the various brain donation programs, their respective inclusion criteria,
and the appropriate contact person for each program:
VA-BU-SLI/CLF Brain Bank (NIH Funded)
The VA-BU-SLI/CLF Brain Bank collects and studies post-mortem brain and spinal cord tissue to
better understand the effects of trauma on the human nervous system—specifically focused on Chronic
Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The tissue along with the clinical information of the donor will help to
better understand the pathology, etiology, and epidemiology of trauma related neurodegenerative
disorders including CTE, TBI, and ALS.
INCLUSION CRITERIA
1. Men who played American football or ice hockey at the professional or Olympic level, or
who played at the college, semi-professional or juniors levels for at least 2 years.
2. Men who played a high-risk contact-sport, other than American football or ice hockey, at
the professional or Olympic level
3. Women who played a high-risk contact sport at the professional, Olympic, or college level
4. Men or women who played a high-risk contact sport at the professional, Olympic, college or
high school level who died before the age of 35
5. Men or women who played a high-risk contact sport at the professional, Olympic, college or
high school level who were diagnosed with ALS during life
6. Men or women with a military history of combat exposure
7. Women with a history of domestic abuse
EXCLUSION CRITERIA
1. Specimen with a post-mortem interval before fixation of greater than 72 hours
2. Specimen that was embalmed following brain autopsy
3. Specimen of less than one full hemisphere
For further information or to refer a case please contact:
Boston University CTE Center
Bobby Abdolmohammadi by phone at 617-358-5996 or Laney Evers by phone at 617-358-5994 .
24/7 Urgent Matters: 617-992-0615
VA National PTSD Brain Bank (VA Funded)
The PTSD Brain Bank is a human tissue bank that collects, processes, stores and distributes
research specimens for future scientific studies. The PTSD Brain Bank obtains neurologic tissue
specimens from veterans who suffer from PTSD.
For further information or to refer a case please contact:
Office: 857-364-3877
Office Toll free: 800-762-6609
PAGER: 617-705-9577 (24/7)
CELL PHONE: 857-214-0992 (24/7)