"Fife brains could help find Parkinson's Cure" says Iain Smith MSP

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 23rd Apr 2009

Iain Smith MSP at the Scottish Parliament with Parkinson's Disease Society Scotland Manager Andrew Sim.

Local MSP Iain Smith has joined celebrities including Jeremy Paxman and Jane Asher in appealing for people to consider donating their brains to help find a cure for Parkinson's. A Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS) campaign launched in Parkinson's Awareness Week (20th - 26th April) aims to double the number of people who have pledged to donate their brain for research into the condition. To date, 99 people from across Scotland have registered to donate their brains, in a scheme similar to the organ donor register.

Around 700 people in Fife have Parkinson's. It is an incurable, progressive condition, which can impact on every area of a person's daily life. About one in every eight people is close to someone with Parkinson's.

Research on human brains is essential because Parkinson's only affects humans. Scientists need brains donated from people who do not have Parkinson's, as well as from people with the condition so that they are able to compare them. This helps to understand what happens in the brain cells of people with Parkinson's. Brain tissue stored at the Parkinson's Brain Bank can be used by scientists around the world working to find a cure.

Mr Smith said:

"I know from speaking to The Parkinson's Disease Society how much Parkinson's affects people's lives, and how important it is to keep working to improve treatment and find a cure."

Andrew Sim, Scotland Manager for the Parkinson's Disease Society said:

"In our 40th Anniversary year, we hope everyone in Scotland will think about how they can support us in the search for a cure for Parkinson's. Over the last four decades, PDS has invested £40million in research. The Brain Bank has already led to exciting breakthroughs, and we really need more donated brains to continue this vital work.

"Opinion polls tell us that about one in ten Scots already feels comfortable with the idea of brain donation, and we are sure that this number will grow over time. Our finest minds are working on a finding a cure for Parkinson's - your brain could help them to do it."

Anyone can join the PDS Brain Donor Register by telephoning 0808 800 0303 by visiting: www.parkinsons.org.uk/brainbank or emailing: pdbrain@imperial.ac.uk.

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