WEBVTT - How Can I Donate My Brain to Science?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff from How Stuff Works. Hey, brain Stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and you don't have to be sitting

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<v Speaker 1>on a mountain of cash when you die. To leave

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<v Speaker 1>a little something for your loved ones and the rest

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<v Speaker 1>of humanity, researchers are looking for a few are lots

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<v Speaker 1>of good men and women to donate their brains to science.

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<v Speaker 1>These gifts are key to research that may change the

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<v Speaker 1>way a wide range of ailments are treated, including Alzheimer's

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<v Speaker 1>disease and dementia. Of course, the idea of having your

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<v Speaker 1>organs picked over by strangers when the sun sets on

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<v Speaker 1>your time here among the living is enough to give

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<v Speaker 1>some of us the willies. Here are a few things

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<v Speaker 1>you should know about donating your brain to science. Obviously,

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<v Speaker 1>the decision to donate anybody part is something that you

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<v Speaker 1>have to reach before you die, but it's also important

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<v Speaker 1>that people know about your choice before you leave this

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<v Speaker 1>world for whatever might come next. A brain donor's body

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<v Speaker 1>has to be refrigerated or the brain put on ice

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<v Speaker 1>within six hours of death, according to researchers at Harvard

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<v Speaker 1>Universe d. But yes, you can still have an open

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<v Speaker 1>casket funeral if you decide to give the gift of

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<v Speaker 1>your brain after death, a person's face and hair are

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<v Speaker 1>not disturbed by the brain removal process, so your loved

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<v Speaker 1>ones are still able to have that one last look

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<v Speaker 1>if that's your preferred funerary practice. However, be aware that

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<v Speaker 1>the procedure is not tax deductible. Sure, agreeing to give

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<v Speaker 1>up your brain or any other organ to science is

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<v Speaker 1>one of the more charitable things a person can do,

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<v Speaker 1>but that doesn't mean it's treated as a charitable donation

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<v Speaker 1>for tax purposes. But you don't need to have a

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<v Speaker 1>brain ailment to participate in a donation program. Researchers want

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<v Speaker 1>access to healthy brains so they can compare tissue to

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<v Speaker 1>those with various diseases. By the way, the average adult

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<v Speaker 1>human brain weighs about three pounds that's one point three

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<v Speaker 1>six ms, or about two percent of a person's total

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<v Speaker 1>body weight. If you decide to go ahead with brain donation,

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<v Speaker 1>there are certain steps required to seal the deal. Designating

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<v Speaker 1>yourself as an organ donor on your driver's license alone

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<v Speaker 1>does not give researchers the right to take your brain,

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<v Speaker 1>but can sent for Brain donation can be given by

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<v Speaker 1>next of kin immediately following death. So if it's something

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<v Speaker 1>you want to do, you should talk with your family

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<v Speaker 1>and friends about it, share your wishes, and register beforehand

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<v Speaker 1>to donate your brain. If you are interested, run a

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<v Speaker 1>search for the Brain Donor Project. It's a great starting

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<v Speaker 1>place for information and resources. Today's episode was written by

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<v Speaker 1>Chris Opfer and produced by Tyler Clang. For more on

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<v Speaker 1>this and lots of other Brinkley topics, visit our home planet,

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<v Speaker 1>how Stuff Works dot com.