Dissecting Brains

Peering into the brain.

If the mere thought of brain dissection makes you feel a bit wobbly then this video probably isn't for you. At Hammersmith Hospital in London, recently preserved human brains are dissected according to an international protocol and stored in a tissue bank for further research.

In this short film Professor Steve Gentleman runs through a neuropathological examination of the human brain – from a rigorous inspection of the brain surface to penetrating into layers of deeper tissue.

The brains have mostly been donated by people with degenerative and incurable diseases of the central nervous system, including Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis. However, healthy brains are also required as control samples.

Through these examinations, Gentleman and his colleagues can build up diagnostic reports for each brain, allowing tissue to be categorised for further study or used within research.

Directed by Martha Henson this is a modified version of a film which appeared in the Brains exhibition (March - June 2012) at the Wellcome Collection.

Find out more about the Parkinson's UK and Multiple Sclerosis Society Tissue Bank at Imperial College.