Brain donation rules in Italy and worldwide: overview of a cutting-edge topic for human brain research

Neuropathological examination of the brain and its biochemical analyses are fundamental to neuroscience studies and public health decisions, but are dependent on the effectiveness of regulations and operational protocols. The article discusses opportunities and limits of Italian regulation on body donation in relation to the specific requirements of neuropathology and brain sciences, in comparison with the regulations of other countries. Some crucial issues emerge, widely shared in the various regulatory contexts. The main aspect is the willingness to donate, consciously expressed by the subject by signing an informed consent or through the formulation of advanced directives. The donation of a single organ, the brain in particular, does not necessarily imply the donation of the entire body, which should be considered separately. In the specific case of the brain, particular attention is given to reducing the post-mortem interval, in order to obtain tissues suitable for research. Consequently, the centres that deal with the brain and brain banking must have experience and expertise in handling nervous tissue, and do not necessarily have to deal with the management of the entire body. These aspects, still little addressed in Italy, are the basis to develop an effective brain banking activity, which can only develop by integrating post-mortem body donation with specific rules for brain banking without which Italian neuroscience will be penalised in the coming years.