The mission of Human Brain and Spinal Fluid Resource Center (Bank) is to collect and distribute high quality human brain and other body parts specimens from neuropsychiatric diseases &disorders, and normal controls. The banking process includes acquiring ample specimens and specimen data from donors, saving the collected material, confirming the diagnoses and quality, preparing the specimens related data and providing specimens to neuroscience researchers. The Bank established since 1961 is located at the West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center. The bank maintains a large repository of blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cryopreserved postmortem nervous system tissue which is publically available for research. The Bank functions as a dependable bridge between patients, clinicians and scientists. Volunteer patients donate specimens through our Gift of Hope donor program. Specimens are collected during clinical course and after death, and cryopreserved. We also collect comprehensive medical and social history data during the course of disease and after death. These well-classified specimens and data are provided to the researchers. To achieve consistently highest possible quality of research specimens, we implement optimized quick-freeze preservation technique. We also use extensive data collection and disease verification protocols to prepare ideal banked specimens available for research. We save whole coronal sections of brains so that corresponding structures of left and right sides can be studied the same brain. We dissect regions structures on demand and histologically evaluate them to confirm the requested details. To validate specific findings, inclusion of control specimens in any biomedical research project is indispensable. The bank also collects and provides control specimens of the user's choice. Banked specimens are used by scientists to search for the cause of diseases, design diagnostic tests, find markers of disease activity and find targets for treatment. The research results may help finding the cure with a better understanding of diseases process and in-addition, help the clinicians improve the quality of life of patients awaiting discovery of treatments for incurable diseases &disorders.
Research results generated from the use of our banked specimens may lead to new drug discoveries, which are then used by clinicians in the treatment regimen. Therefore, by providing high quality specimens, the Bank directly assists in research on human health. The neuropsychiatric diseases &disorders research helps clinicians to take care of their patients. The Bank's collection is an invaluable resource for human research.
| Gruber, Ross C; LaRocca, Daria; Minchenberg, Scott B et al. (2015) The control of reactive oxygen species production by SHP-1 in oligodendrocytes. Glia 63:1753-71 |
| Louis, Elan D; Faust, Phyllis L; Vonsattel, Jean-Paul G et al. (2007) Neuropathological changes in essential tremor: 33 cases compared with 21 controls. Brain 130:3297-307 |
