Why are brain autopsies so important?
A. The autopsy is essential both for research and diagnosis. There is a particular need for autopsy tissue from patients who have been closely followed by specialists in the area of degenerative brain disorders because they will have thorough clinical records, important for the researchers studying the brain tissue. The symptoms of different patients with dementia are not identical, and the changes in the brain tissue seen under the microscope vary from case to case. Comparison of the patient’s symptoms with changes found in the brain tissue can lead researchers to an understanding of memory loss and other problems experienced by patients with dementia. At present, the diagnosis of AD can only be made with certainty at autopsy. Other conditions can mimic AD. Q. How can a definite diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and/or other dementias be made? A. Until a reliable clinical test is found, the only definitive way to obtain a diagnosis of AD is by having the brain examined after death. The
