Austalian Brain Bank seeks more deposits

[Diva]

(Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=815542)) -- An Australian university has launched a campaign to boost deposits to its brain bank and hopes to persuade thousands of people to donate their gray matter for research, scientists said on Thursday.

Neurologists from the University of Sydney are appealing for clean living people, but also smokers and drinkers, to agree have the heady donations frozen after their death.

Would-be donors can register online at www.braindonors.org

Clive Harper, professor of Neuropathology at the University of Sydney, said the idea was to attract a range of brains for study of ailments like schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease.

Willing participants will be encouraged to undergo memory and language tests every five years to get a controlled study of their health and lifestyle.

"If I want to match up a 40-year-old schizophrenia patient, I go straight to my bank and say look, here's a man, same age, who smoked and drank the same amount. The perfect control," Harper told Reuters. Harper has agreed to donate his brain.

Sydney University's brain bank started 16 years ago but only has 230 brains on deposit, compared with the Harvard Brain Bank in the United States, which has more than 5,000 brains, with 300 brains deposited a year.

Former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, regarded as one of the country's leading intellectuals, pledged his brain on Thursday.

"I thought people would say 'isn't that just the thing you'd expect from Whitlam. He thinks his brain is outstanding and an inspiration to future generations," said the 85-year-old Whitlam.
Eh hem...

[GLADIATOR]

Although initially sounding controversial, this is probably a fair idea.

I think, that its much better for dead peoples organs to be used to improve medical science, than just rot away.

Probably a more important and controversial issue, is taking peoples organs that were killed in accidents, and using them to save others.

Although my religion is totally against this, I personally 100% support, using any part of someones body (incl my own) if it can help someone else.

the real question, would you be an Organ Donor.

[Jake]

Hi Gladiator. I think the real question is "Have you been an Organ Donor?" I've met quite a few people that must have donated their brain to science.

I donate blood, but I'm holding onto the donor card for now. Maybe it's just a mortality thing, but I'm not quite ready to be treated like a deck of cards yet.

[Diva]

After 10.5 years of working in the operating room, I decided to keep my corpse intact. I know I'll be gone, and that it will just be tissue, etc... But I wore this skin for quite a while now, and I just can't dream of having it treated like a garage sale. Besides, I saw what they do... Nope. ain't gonna happen.

[GLADIATOR]

Originally posted by Diva
After 10.5 years of working in the operating room, I decided to keep my corpse intact. I know I'll be gone, and that it will just be tissue, etc... But I wore this skin for quite a while now, and I just can't dream of having it treated like a garage sale. Besides, I saw what they do... Nope. ain't gonna happen.

Thats a pity Diva. Our religion teaches us to preserve life at all costs. If your eyes could allow a blind person to see again, or your kidneys to allow someone to live a normal life. Well to me, I would have done infinitely more in death, than I ever did in life.

You should reconsider.

[Diva]

It is a personal choice. In your opinion, it is cruel and heartless. If I try to help people my whole life, but choose to keep MY body intact after death, does that erase all that I did while I was living? I don't think that one should be judged by something that is not manditory. I would rather respect everyone's individual choice. If you choose to donate your heart, lung, liver, kidney, intestine, skin, eyes and bone... that is your choice. Mine is different. Don't pity me, Glad... I do my 'donating' now. ;)

[Sterling]

I was an organ donor, but now I'm not. Why? Because the US government thinks I might have mad cow disease, and therefore they won't take my organs. I can't give blood either for the same reason.

[Redallnite]

I'm with Diva, leave my body intact... I can't even donate blood, they say i'm too sweet.

[GLADIATOR]

Originally posted by Diva
It is a personal choice. In your opinion, it is cruel and heartless. If I try to help people my whole life, but choose to keep MY body intact after death, does that erase all that I did while I was living? I don't think that one should be judged by something that is not manditory. I would rather respect everyone's individual choice. If you choose to donate your heart, lung, liver, kidney, intestine, skin, eyes and bone... that is your choice. Mine is different. Don't pity me, Glad... I do my 'donating' now. ;)

Then why stop helping people after your death, when possible the best part of you is still around.

Of course it's a personal choice, but I suspect in time, it will become law, that doctors can use parts of people to save others. I leave you with a final thought.

Your Father, whom you mentioned died suddenly, say he could have been saved with an organ from someone killed in a road traffic accident. Would that change your views. Or is it ok for others to allow their organs to save lives?

If you are NOT selfish in life, why be selfish in death.

Aussie
Thats a brilliant idea to have it as part of the driving license.

[Diva]

My father would NOT have lived.

I see what happens to your body. I also see things that boil down to one thing... MONEY. I've seen a liver for one man put into another who paid cash. The man who needed it was a poor imigrant who did not have money. Luckely, the found a liver for him. That is very rare. I've seen a lot of things that I will not mention. Bottom line. It is my choice and my choice alone.

I am not selfish. If you choose to do this, then it is your choice. I should be given that courtesy.

[Redallnite]

Also, what if you were a perfect match for the richest person to get your heart??? I or you would be suddenly dead..... That rich person would have my or your heart...:eek: :shutup:

[Redallnite]

The less they (who ever has the knife or the money) knows about me the better....