The network provides high-quality brain tissue to scientists and clinicians and supports major initiatives on research into neurological disorders, including the aims of the Ministerial Action Group on Dementia Research. The Medical Research Council established this network, which is also supported by the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research U.K. It comprises 10 brain banks throughout the U.K., and maintains two head offices, one in Swindon and the other at One Kemble St., London WC2B 4AN.

These 10 banks together contain samples from more than 10,000 brains in one centralized, searchable database. Network members have adopted standardized protocols for tissue processing. The network has made the collection of brains from healthy controls a priority. The organization runs a longitudinal study on 3,000 volunteers, more than half of whom are controls. The brain bank accepts tissue requests from researchers worldwide.