Parkinson's UK Brain Bank

The Brain Bank, based at Imperial College London, collects precious tissue from people with and without Parkinson's who have decided to leave their brains to Parkinson's research.

The donation of brain tissue has already led to major advances in our understanding of Parkinson's, and resulted in new treatments being developed and tested.

People with and without Parkinson's can sign up and pledge to donate their brain for research. Donation is not an easy decision and we are extremely grateful to the donors and their families who have chosen to do this.

The human brain is very difficult for scientists to study. Unlike some other organs, we cannot simply take samples to study under the microscope, and brain scanning techniques (although getting better all the time) are limited. Complex brain conditions like Parkinson’s, dementia, depression and schizophrenia are pretty unique to humans, which makes them difficult to study in animals.

Based at Imperial College London, the Parkinson’s UK Brain Bank conducts dedicated tissue research. Precious tissue collected is given to researchers all over the world who, together, could make the next discovery to help us find a cure. 

Parkinson’s UK has already committed to joint funding the creation of a new digital brain bank to enable scientists from around the world to access brains virtually, making research more effective and efficient.

All the key questions you and your family may have about brain donation are in our Brain Bank donor information booklet (PDF, 5.8MB).