Reaching out within your communities
Although advances in technology and scientific methods have driven us closer to finding the causes of many neurodevelopmental disorders, they cannot provide a complete solution to the challenge that scientists face. This challenge is the lack of available brain tissue to study.
Your support of the BEARS Tissue Program ® can significantly help millions of individuals around the world that are affected with or have loved ones whose lives have been altered with a neurodevelopmental disorder. Your help can enable our team of dedicated and world-renowned scientists with the proper resources to further accelerate their research progress, and advance toward a better understanding and possible treatment for these life-changing disorders.
By reaching out within your communities and educating others to understand the scarcity of and vital need for brain donation, you are already making a profound difference and contribution to the field of neurodevelopmental research.
The MIND Institute’s multi-disciplinary team of researchers has already achieved a number of groundbreaking discoveries for multiple neurodevelopmental disorders with the support of and collaboration between the community, families, and medical researchers.
"Neuroscience has extraordinarily powerful tools to help accelerate research progress toward the treatment and eventual cures of neurodevelopmental disorders. Yet, without an adequate number of donor brain tissue, this type of fundamental research would not be possible. Every donation will make a phenomenal impact on the future of brain research."
—David G. Amaral, director of research, UC Davis MIND Institute
Some highlights are:
Neuroimaging in ADHD studies that helps in characterizing abnormalities in brain function and circuitry associated with the disorder.
The identification of similar genetic profiles among some children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tourette syndrome, and ADHD, and their correlation with immune dysfunction. This adds to increasing evidence that there is immune and autoimmune abnormalities, as well as inflammatory processes in brains that have been diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Use of computer-based learning programs that treat children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Ways to help
- REGISTER yourself and your family as brain tissue donors under register now or how to register.
- INFORM others about the vital need of brain tissue for research.
- ENCOURAGE others, with and without a disorder, to register as a brain donor.
- VOLUNTEER for outreach with the MIND Institute BEARS Program ® and at community events. If you are interested in contributing to the outreach process, please e-mail us at: MINDBEARS@ucdavis.edu.
- SUPPORT this program with a financial contribution.