Alzheimer’s disease, Dementias and Movement Disorders

mountains
Why choose an autopsy for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or movement disorder:
If you have a question about Alzheimer’s disease or another neurological condition* in your loved one, you may wish to request a “brain only” autopsy. The “brain only” autopsy can assess for Alzheimer’s disease, strokes or other diseases of the brain.

About no-cost autopsy diagnosis with brain donation:
For patients with some neurologic conditions (other than Alzheimer’s disease) who wish to donate their brain to research, we can offer no-cost autopsy diagnosis through the University of California Los Angeles and National Institutes of Health Brain BioBank. This requires registration and pre-planning. Please contact us to learn more.

*What is a neuorologic condition? A neurologic condition is a disease that affects the brain, nerves and sometime muscle. Neurologic conditions can affect thinking, memory and movement, depending on the specific condition.

Please note:  a brain only autopsy will not provide you with the cause of death – just an evaluation of the brain.  If you also have other questions about your loved one’s health, you may wish to request a complete autopsy that also includes testing for neurological diseases.

 

What is done: An autopsy for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or movement disorders consists of:

  • A complete evaluation of the outside of the body
  • A complete evaluation of the brain and internal structures of the head
  • Evaluation of other sites (for example, muscle and spinal cord), depending on the condition
  • Laboratory testing of the tissue

 

If you are looking to confirm the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in your loved one, please call us at 1-855-8-AUTOPSY.