The Oregon Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Center Brain Donation Programs web site presented by the Oregon Health Sciences University Portland, Oregon, simply presents information on how to participate in their program. They list a phone number and contact name. This site explains what is involved in donation, what they do with the brain tissue, how to become a donor, and they provide a form to enroll. Unfortunately, much more must be known about dementia before effective treatments are discovered to reverse or retard cognitive deterioration. The time to start thinking about brain autopsy is now, even though the patient's death may be years away.
Early discussion avoids the additional stress of such decisions at the time of death.
Family members may have different views on brain autopsy, which should be expressed in an effort to reach some agreement. Alzheimer's disease can only be diagnosed with 100 per cent certainty through a brain autopsy. Concerns about genetic factors. If other family members develop dementia in the future, confirmed diagnosis of previous cases is important, especially if treatment becomes available. Personal views that the patient may have had or expressed about autopsy during his or her lifetime.