journal articles
BRAIN DONATION BY PROXY: ARE THERE PREDICTORS IN NEURODEGENERATIVE DEMENTIA?
J. Olazarán, J. López-Álvarez, L. Agu?era-Ortiz, M. Valentí, M.A. Zea-Sevilla, B. González, B. León-Salas, J.L. Dobato, A. Rábano
J Prev Alz Dis 2014;1(3):151-159
OBJECTIVES: To describe the frequency and predictors of brain
donation by relatives in patients with neurodegenerative
dementia.
DESIGN: Database review and quantitative analysis.
SETTING: The Alzheimer Center Reina Sofia Foundation
(ACRSF), a center devoted to the care and research of patients
with neurodegenerative dementia.
PARTICIPANTS: Patients with signed consent for participation
in the ACRSF research program.
MEASUREMENTS: A set of 38 demographic, clinical, and social
variables related to patient and closest relative, which were
collected by the ACRSF multidisciplinary team upon patient
admission.
RESULTS: Admission data were available for 198 patients who
entered the ACRSF research program; 85 of them (42.9%) died
during follow-up. Mean age (SD) at admission was 82.3 (6.8)
years and 80.8% of the patients were female. Family link
between patient and closest relative was spouse or partner
(12.0%), son or daughter (74.9%), or other link (13.1%). Brain
was obtained from 56 patients (65.9%). Consent by legal
representative and patient’s depressive symptoms were more
frequent in the donors (p<0.05, corrected) and trend was
observed for more aberrant motor symptoms in the donors
(p<0.05, uncorrected).
CONCLUSION: A high rate of brain donation was achieved,
probably due to the unique characteristics of the ACRSF and
consent for research policy. Wish of alleviating suffering, as
well as general interest in dementia research, possibly exerted
an influence in brain donation. More research is needed to
ascertain the values, motivations, and circumstances that may
lead to brain donation by proxy in neurodegenerative dementia.
CITATION:
J. Olazarán ; J. López-Álvarez ; L. Agüera-Ortiz ; M. Valentí ; M.A. Zea-Sevilla ; B. González ; B. León-Salas ; J.L. Dobato ; A. Rábano (2014): BRAIN DONATION BY PROXY: ARE THERE PREDICTORS IN NEURODEGENERATIVE DEMENTIA?. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (JPAD). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2014.28