{"id":6736,"date":"2023-04-06T16:21:40","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T20:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cte\/?page_id=6736"},"modified":"2026-04-13T11:04:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:04:11","slug":"brain-donation-for-families","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cte\/brain-donation-registry\/brain-donation-for-families\/","title":{"rendered":"Brain Donation for Families"},"content":{"rendered":"

To download a PDF copy of our Brain Donation Guide for Families, please click here: Brain Donation Guide for Families<\/a><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why Donate?<\/span><\/p>\n

The purpose of our research is to help understand the <\/span>long-term effects of head trauma and brain injuries<\/span><\/b>, including any association with CTE.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This donation process is an opportunity to help further medical research and to help protect future generations of athletes, military veterans, and others exposed to head trauma. Participation will enable researchers to better understand CTE, including its neuropathology, clinical presentation, and environmental and genetic risk factors. Family members of deceased individuals may donate their loved one\u2019s brain after their death to the UNITE Brain Bank to be examined neuropathologically for evidence of CTE or other disorders of the central nervous system. We also encourage <\/span>optional tissue donation<\/span><\/b> of the <\/span>spinal cord, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)<\/span><\/b> to help us better understand the effects of trauma on the human nervous system.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All publication of findings are de-identified (without name and identifiable details) unless the CTE Center has received permission from the family to publicize the subject\u2019s participation. The identity of donors is confidential and protected by both IRB rules and HIPAA laws. However, many donors have chosen to allow the BU CTE Center to release their names to draw attention to this important work. Thanks to these families and donors, we have compiled a diverse collection of donated tissue proving CTE is not only a problem for football, but a problem for any sport with routine head impacts as well as military veterans. View the Concussion & CTE Foundation <\/span>Legacy Donors<\/span><\/a> page and our Donor Stories<\/a> and Memorial Wall<\/a> pages to learn about some of those donors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Your loved one may qualify for brain donation to the BU CTE Center if they meet <\/span>at least ONE<\/span><\/b> of the following criteria:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n