Willingness to Be a Brain Donor: A Survey of Research Volunteers from Four Racial/Ethnic Groups

African-American, Caucasian, Asian, and Latino research volunteers were surveyed at 15 Alzheimer Disease Centers to identify predictors of willingness to assent to brain donation. Positive predictors included older age, Latino ethnicity, understanding of how the brain is used by researchers, and understanding of what participants need to do to ensure their brain will be donated. Negative predictors included African/African-American race, belief that the body should remain whole at burial, and concern that researchers might not be respectful of the body during autopsy.

Boise L, Hinton L, Rosen HJ, et al. Willingness to be a brain donor: A survey of research volunteers from four racial/ethnic groups. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders 2017 April-June;31(2):135-140.