UCSF Memory and Aging Center Autopsy Program

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Autopsy can be invaluable to both families and researchers by confirming a neurodegenerative disease diagnosis. An autopsy does not delay or complicate any funeral, cremation or burial plans. Removal of the brain or spinal cord does not prevent an open casket, embalming or other traditional funeral arrangements. In most cases, the autopsy plan is compatible with the family’s culture, choice of funeral home and religious practices.

Summary

Program director: William Seeley, MD
Enrolling participants?: Yes
Conditions studied: Alzheimer's disease (AD), behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), semantic dementia (SD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), healthy aging and other neurological conditions which affect memory or thinking with the exception of vascular dementia.
Purpose: The UCSF Memory and Aging Center provides a brain autopsy service for patients registered and seen at UCSF. Autopsy can be invaluable to both families and researchers by confirming a neurodegenerative disease diagnosis. Requests to withdraw from the Autopsy Program will be honored at any time, even after prior agreement to participate.

Eligibility

Inclusion criteria: Participants must be enrolled in New Approaches to
Dementia Heterogeneity, Frontotemporal Dementia: Genes, Images and Emotions, Early Diagnosis of Human Prion Disease or the Hillblom Aging Network, or be a patient at the Memory and Aging Center Clinic.
Exclusion criteria: Individuals not involved in research or clinical care at the Memory and Aging Center are not eligible for the Autopsy Program.

What is involved?

Testing: The analysis of nervous system tissue may take many months. The family of the donor will receive the neuropathological report when it is finalized, and they will have the opportunity to discuss the findings with a Memory and Aging Center clinician
Materials needed prior to evaluation: Please contact the Autopsy Coordinator for enrollment materials.
Costs: There are no costs for the autopsy procedure. Families may be responsible for the cost to transport the body to and from the autopsy site.