Brain Donation and Autopsy – Helen Hovdesven

Brain Donation and Autopsy

Helen Hovdesven shares her experience of participating in brain donation and the brain autopsy that provided a definitive diagnosis of her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease that helped the family with information and closure.

0:09 - The doctors and I have discussed the fact that we don’t talk enough about the brain donation and the autopsy.

0:53 - So many people are not aware that when you die and have an autopsy, you can definitively know; but otherwise, they cannot be 100% certain whether you have Alzheimer’s or vascular disease or a myriad other conditions

2:02 - When someone decides that they are willing to have their brain donated…

2:48 - The thirty or so Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers are linked and it is important to go through an ADRC near you when you make a plan.

4:03 - What else do you want people to know about this?

5:04 - How about we give the results to all the children?

5:42 - If you have any religious concerns, talk to your religious leader.

5:55 - End