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Victorian Brain Bank Network (VBBN) The VBBN is located at the Mental Health Research Institute (MHRI) and has the function of collecting post-mortem human brains from individuals who have had Alzheimer's disease, bipolar mood disorder, depression, Motor neurone disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and other neurological and psychiatric diseases. The senior partners in the VBBN are the MHRI, The University of Melbourne, Neurosciences Victoria and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM). The tissue collected by the VBBN allows researchers to study the changes in the human brain that may cause these diseases. Such studies add to those relying on neuroimaging technology, animal models and cell culture systems in adding valuable information as to the underlying causes of diseases of the human brain. The VBBN is part of the Australian Brain Bank Network (ABBN), which is a consortium of brain banks across Australia that are collecting post-mortem human brains. By collaborating on this process, the ABBN provides Australian and international researchers with clinically and neuropathologically well-characterised human brain tissue on which they can conduct research into neurological and psychiatric disorders. The ABBN provides support to national voluntary brain donor programs. The programs seek to recruit individuals to make the commitment to donate their brain at the time of death. Brains from people who have neurological or psychiatric disorders and from those who are not affected by such disorders are needed as comparisons to enable the changes caused by various brain diseases to be determined. For more information, view a Brain Donation Brochure Our Supporters The VBBN is supported by
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