Donate Your Brain

Many people are registered organ donors, but did you know you can register to donate your brain? It’s an option that you can discuss with your doctor and your family to see if it’s right for you. Brain donation is open to people living with brain disorders, diseases or injuries, as well as those with typical brain function.

Despite progress in neuro-imaging technology, there is a lot we don’t know about the brain. Studying brain tissue can help researchers improve diagnostic tools, understand the cause of certain disorders, and work towards finding treatments or cures.

Unfortunately, the national Australian Brain Bank Network (ABBN) stopped operating in 2019. Brain donations are now organised by state-based brain banks, which are listed below. MS Research Australia can also assist MS patients from all states to register as a donor.

Where to donate your brain in Australia

NSW

Sydney Brain Bank

Web: https://sbb.neura.edu.au/donors

Email: braindonors@neura.edu.au

Phone: 02 9399 1707

NSW brain donors can register for a number of different research programs through the Sydney Brain Bank. There are certain eligibility requirements for different programs, and please note that they do not accept at death or near death donations. They encourage you to enrol as a donor as early as possible if you are interested in brain donation.

NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre

Web: http://usingourbrains.com.au/ (alternate page)

Email: medicine.uob@sydney.edu.au

Phone: 02 9351 2410

The NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre is a specialised brain bank based at the University of Sydney Charles Perkins Centre. The primary focus of their collection is to support research into alcohol disorders, mental health disorders and healthy control tissue.

Brain and Mind Centre

Web: https://www.sydney.edu.au/brain-mind/

Email: brainandmind.info@sydney.edu.au

Phone: 02 9351 0774

The Brain and Mind Centre is a global leader in research and treatment. In particular, they focus on conditions that affect child development, youth mental health and brain ageing. They aim to understand individual circumstances and to develop solutions that improve the quality of life for both patients and their loved ones. You can contact them directly to enquire about brain donation.

WA

Email: caroline.casely@health.wa.gov.au or john.w.banfield@health.wa.gov.au

Phone: 08 9224 2925 (Caroline) or 08 6152 5218 (John)

Please contact Caroline or John directly to discuss registering as a donor for the Western Australia Brain Bank. They are available 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.

SA

The South Australian Brain Bank (SABB) is not accepting donations at the moment (updated February 2021).

Other states

Unfortunately, there are no state-based brain donor organisations in Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT, or the Northern Territory. However, if you are in Queensland, the ACT, or Tasmania, you can contact the Brain and Mind Centre to see if anything can be arranged as they may cover these states on a case by case basis.

Please speak to your GP or neurologist if you have any further questions.