Autopsies have long been performed to determine the cause of death in the medical field. In fact, autopsies have significantly contributed to our understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Patients and their families who wish to donate bodies for autopsy may have various expectations, such as contributing to the development of treatments for the diseases they experienced or facilitating the investigation of their causes. They may also hope that the removed and stored organs will be used effectively and appropriately by academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies, both in Japan and abroad. Accordingly, brain banks store samples that can be utilized for future medical research. The Japan Brain Bank Net (JBBN) was established to help fulfill this purpose. The network currently includes 19 institutions. In addition to storing and providing pathological tissue – functions traditionally associated with brain banks – JBBN also offers detailed and standardized neuropathological diagnoses. Currently, JBBN is working toward storing tissue suitable for emerging research methodologies, digitizing pathological images, applying artificial intelligence (AI) in neuropathological studies, and building a publicly accessible database. JBBN also aims to establish a permanent brain bank infrastructure to support the next generation of research.
Masaki Takao (Fri,) studied this question.