An Australian brain bank and the future of alcohol and major neuropsychiatric disorders research

Abstract

Post-mortem human brain banks are a key resource for researching brain diseases. The New South Wales Brain Tissue Resource Centre (BTRC) is a brain bank that uniquely focuses on the recruitment, preparaZon and disseminaZon of Zssue from paZents with alcohol use disorder and controls. Our controls are prospecZvely followed through their lifeZme via a self-reported quesZonnaire and yearly updates, and this standardised data allows future matching to disease cases based on individual study needs. Brain banks are expensive to run, and their sustainability is an ever-present topic of concern worldwide. In this review we explore how the BTRC is adapZng to a changing research environment by updates to our banking pipeline, before considering different models whereby brain banks can add greater value to research of the brain and other organs. Firstly, brain Zssue research is undergoing a major transformaZon with the rapid uptake of single cell and spaZal pla`orms. Brain banks must ensure that their protocols are opZmised and updated to match the requirements of these new pla`orms. The BTRC has moved to rapid fixaZon of Zssue and is trialling freezing protocols that minimise cytoarchitectural damage. Second, post-mortem brain banks are inherently retrospecZve and cannot ordinarily contribute to research during a donor's lifeZme. Yet brain banks can also expand their por`olio to include clinical samples and derivaZves such as cell lines, and this may promote greater donor interest in subsequent brain donaZon. Third, brain banks have tradiZonally run as stand-alone operaZons given their unique reliance on invasive autopsies and whole organ banking. However, with the increased interest in brain-body interacZons mulZ-organ Zssue banks, holding both clinical and post-mortem samples could enable the discovery of general disease mechanisms. Lastly, the single cell and spaZal pla`orms are producing data at a phenomenal rate. Rather than seeing data derived from Zssue disseminated to disparate repositories, banks could curate the data in-house and enable dry-lab research alongside their tradiZonal focus on Zssue studies. Overall, post-mortem brain banking is an important part of the brain research environment, but the banking pipeline must be designed to maximise benefits for donors and future generaZons.