The network is composed of medical professionals and volunteers who are trained to help families in obtaining an autopsy. The Referral Liaison provides general information about brain autopsy in Michigan, including finding the closest autopsy liaison and primary autopsy site. The Referral Liaison helps the family complete enrollment information. Autopsy Liaisons are usually pathology assistants or funeral directors. The autopsy liaison also assists the pathologist in shipping brain tissue to the neuropathologist.
Pathologists are doctors specializing in the study of tissue.
The pathologist ensures that complete medical information has been obtained about the patient, obtains consent for brain autopsy at the time of death and removes the brain tissue. Neuropathologists are doctors with additional specialty training in studying brain tissue. The neuropathologist examines the brain tissue, makes the diagnosis, completes the autopsy report, and sends it to the patient's physician and family. The diagnosis of many dementing disorders, like Alzheimer's disease, can only be made with certainty at autopsy by looking at brain tissue under the microscope. Other disorders can mimic Alzheimer's disease during life.