Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of iHeartRadio. Hey brain Stuff,
Speaker 1: Lauren Vogelbomb here with a classic episode from our archives.
Speaker 1: But this one has to do with the incredible scientific
Speaker 1: potential of your earthly remains, and specifically your brain. Here's
Speaker 1: a basic guide to donating your brain to science. Hey
Speaker 1: brain Stuff, I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and you don't have to
Speaker 1: be sitting on a mountain of cash when you die.
Speaker 1: To leave a little something for your loved ones and
Speaker 1: the rest of humanity, Researchers are looking for a few
Speaker 1: or lots of good men and women to donate their
Speaker 1: brains to science. These gifts are key to research that
Speaker 1: may change the way a wide range of ailments are treated,
Speaker 1: including Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Of course, the idea of
Speaker 1: having your organs picked over by strangers when the sun
Speaker 1: sets on your time here among the living is enough
Speaker 1: to give some of us the willies. Here are a
Speaker 1: few things you should know about donating your brain to science. Obviously,
Speaker 1: the decision to donate any body part is something that
Speaker 1: you have to reach before you die, but it's also
Speaker 1: important that people know about your choice before you leave
Speaker 1: this world. For whatever might come next. A brain donor's
Speaker 1: body has to be refrigerated or the brain put on
Speaker 1: ice within six hours of death, according to researchers at
Speaker 1: Harvard University. But yes, you can still have an open
Speaker 1: casket funeral if you decide to give the gift of
Speaker 1: your brain. After death, a person's face and hair are
Speaker 1: not disturbed by the brain removal process, so your loved
Speaker 1: ones are still able to have that one last look
Speaker 1: if that's your preferred funerary practice. However, be aware that
Speaker 1: the procedure is not tax deductible. Sure, agreeing to give
Speaker 1: up your brain or any other organ too, science is
Speaker 1: one of the more charitable things a person can do,
Speaker 1: but that doesn't mean it's treated as a charitable donation
Speaker 1: for tax purposes. But you don't need to have a
Speaker 1: brain ailment to participate in a donation program. Researchers want
Speaker 1: access to healthy brains so they can compare tissue to
Speaker 1: those with various disease Jesus. By the way, the average
Speaker 1: adult human brain weighs about three pounds that's one point
Speaker 1: three to six kilograms, or about two percent of a
Speaker 1: person's total body weight. If you decide to go ahead
Speaker 1: with brain donation. There are certain steps required to seal
Speaker 1: the deal. Designating yourself as an organ donor on your
Speaker 1: driver's license alone does not give researchers the right to
Speaker 1: take your brain, but can send for Brain donation can
Speaker 1: be given by next of kin immediately following death. So
Speaker 1: if it's something you want to do, you should talk
Speaker 1: with your family and friends about it, share your wishes,
Speaker 1: and register beforehand to donate your brain. If you are interested,
Speaker 1: run a search for the Brain Donor Project. It's a
Speaker 1: great starting place for information and resources. Today's episode is
Speaker 1: based on the article five Things you Didn't Know about
Speaker 1: donating your brain to science on how stuffworks dot Com,
Speaker 1: written by Chris Opfer. Brain Stuff is production to by
Speaker 1: Heart Radio in partnership with how stuffworks dot Com. It
Speaker 1: is produced by Tyler Klang. Four more podcasts from my
Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or
Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.