From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspective

Abstract Our current knowledge of the structure, function, and diseases of the brain comes from direct examination of its substance. In the last centuries, only a few elite had managed to retrieve, gather, and preserve the elusive brain for their own research. The resulting brain collections, stored...

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Main Authors: Arenn Faye Carlos, Tino Emanuele Poloni, Valentina Medici, Maia Chikhladze, Antonio Guaita, Mauro Ceroni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2018.12.002
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author Arenn Faye Carlos
Tino Emanuele Poloni
Valentina Medici
Maia Chikhladze
Antonio Guaita
Mauro Ceroni
author_facet Arenn Faye Carlos
Tino Emanuele Poloni
Valentina Medici
Maia Chikhladze
Antonio Guaita
Mauro Ceroni
author_sort Arenn Faye Carlos
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Our current knowledge of the structure, function, and diseases of the brain comes from direct examination of its substance. In the last centuries, only a few elite had managed to retrieve, gather, and preserve the elusive brain for their own research. The resulting brain collections, stored in formalin‐filled jars or dried up in cabinets, served anatomical, neuropathological, anthropometric, ideological, and diagnostic purposes. In the 1960s, the first modern brain banks actively collecting and strategically preserving both diseased and healthy brains to be consequently distributed to the scientific community were instituted. In an era where state‐of‐the‐art biochemical “Omic” studies and advanced metabolic and molecular neuroimaging exist, it is now, more than ever, that postmortem brain investigations must be performed. Only through the comparison and integration of postmortem neuropathological and biochemical findings and antemortem data from clinical, neuropsychological neuroimaging, and other biomarker examinations can we truly understand neurological disease mechanisms. Brain banks supplying brain specimens, antemortem information, and postmortem diagnosis are a major benefactor of brain research.
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series Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions
spelling doaj-art-11dcf5b0b9cb4dd2bc210d49220b48fa2025-08-20T02:36:54ZengWileyAlzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions2352-87372019-01-0151526010.1016/j.trci.2018.12.002From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspectiveArenn Faye Carlos0Tino Emanuele Poloni1Valentina Medici2Maia Chikhladze3Antonio Guaita4Mauro Ceroni5Neuropathology DepartmentAbbiategrasso Brain BankGolgi‐Cenci Foundation AbbiategrassoMilanItalyNeuropathology DepartmentAbbiategrasso Brain BankGolgi‐Cenci Foundation AbbiategrassoMilanItalyNeuropathology DepartmentAbbiategrasso Brain BankGolgi‐Cenci Foundation AbbiategrassoMilanItalyNeuropathology DepartmentAbbiategrasso Brain BankGolgi‐Cenci Foundation AbbiategrassoMilanItalyNeuropathology DepartmentAbbiategrasso Brain BankGolgi‐Cenci Foundation AbbiategrassoMilanItalyUniversity of PaviaPaviaItalyAbstract Our current knowledge of the structure, function, and diseases of the brain comes from direct examination of its substance. In the last centuries, only a few elite had managed to retrieve, gather, and preserve the elusive brain for their own research. The resulting brain collections, stored in formalin‐filled jars or dried up in cabinets, served anatomical, neuropathological, anthropometric, ideological, and diagnostic purposes. In the 1960s, the first modern brain banks actively collecting and strategically preserving both diseased and healthy brains to be consequently distributed to the scientific community were instituted. In an era where state‐of‐the‐art biochemical “Omic” studies and advanced metabolic and molecular neuroimaging exist, it is now, more than ever, that postmortem brain investigations must be performed. Only through the comparison and integration of postmortem neuropathological and biochemical findings and antemortem data from clinical, neuropsychological neuroimaging, and other biomarker examinations can we truly understand neurological disease mechanisms. Brain banks supplying brain specimens, antemortem information, and postmortem diagnosis are a major benefactor of brain research.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2018.12.002Brain bankBrain collectionBrain bank networkHistory of brain bankingHistory of neuroscienceBrain archiving
spellingShingle Arenn Faye Carlos
Tino Emanuele Poloni
Valentina Medici
Maia Chikhladze
Antonio Guaita
Mauro Ceroni
From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspective
Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions
Brain bank
Brain collection
Brain bank network
History of brain banking
History of neuroscience
Brain archiving
title From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspective
title_full From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspective
title_fullStr From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspective
title_full_unstemmed From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspective
title_short From brain collections to modern brain banks: A historical perspective
title_sort from brain collections to modern brain banks a historical perspective
topic Brain bank
Brain collection
Brain bank network
History of brain banking
History of neuroscience
Brain archiving
url https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2018.12.002
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