11 p.m. a typical work night for Luis Fernandez earlier today some precious
Fernandez earlier today some precious
Fernandez earlier today some precious cargo arrived it’s been chilling on ice
cargo arrived it’s been chilling on ice
cargo arrived it’s been chilling on ice all day in that box is a recently
all day in that box is a recently
all day in that box is a recently deceased freshly packed human brain
deceased freshly packed human brain
deceased freshly packed human brain about all we know is it’s a male it’s in
about all we know is it’s a male it’s in
about all we know is it’s a male it’s in its 70s and if it’s not preserved within
its 70s and if it’s not preserved within
its 70s and if it’s not preserved within the next hour or so its quality will
the next hour or so its quality will
the next hour or so its quality will start to decline for the Harvard brain
start to decline for the Harvard brain
start to decline for the Harvard brain tissue resource center also known as the
tissue resource center also known as the
tissue resource center also known as the brain bank this is one of over 7,000
brain bank this is one of over 7,000
brain bank this is one of over 7,000 brains it’s by far the largest brain
brains it’s by far the largest brain
brains it’s by far the largest brain repository in the world a veritable
repository in the world a veritable
repository in the world a veritable stockroom of intelligence packing
stockroom of intelligence packing
stockroom of intelligence packing freezers and lining shelves for more
freezers and lining shelves for more
freezers and lining shelves for more than 25 years the brain Bank has been
than 25 years the brain Bank has been
than 25 years the brain Bank has been collecting and doling brains out to
collecting and doling brains out to
collecting and doling brains out to neuroscientists looking to unlock their
neuroscientists looking to unlock their
neuroscientists looking to unlock their secrets
franciene Bennis is the brain banks
franciene Bennis is the brain banks director to find more effective cures we
director to find more effective cures we
director to find more effective cures we simply have to study the brain there’s
simply have to study the brain there’s
simply have to study the brain there’s no other way around it the problem is
no other way around it the problem is
no other way around it the problem is there are never enough normal brains to
there are never enough normal brains to
there are never enough normal brains to go around and they’re a necessity for
go around and they’re a necessity for
go around and they’re a necessity for science the brain bank receives three
science the brain bank receives three
science the brain bank receives three hundred or so brains each year
hundred or so brains each year
hundred or so brains each year but only around 30 are considered normal
but only around 30 are considered normal
but only around 30 are considered normal that means demand is high oh my go ahead
that means demand is high oh my go ahead
that means demand is high oh my go ahead and bisect the hemispheres now first
and bisect the hemispheres now first
and bisect the hemispheres now first Lewis separates left brain from right
Lewis separates left brain from right
Lewis separates left brain from right preserves one-half in formalin for later
preserves one-half in formalin for later
preserves one-half in formalin for later anatomical studies then moves on to the
anatomical studies then moves on to the
anatomical studies then moves on to the other half he removes all the critical
other half he removes all the critical
other half he removes all the critical parts brain stem hippocampus amygdala
parts brain stem hippocampus amygdala
parts brain stem hippocampus amygdala and precisely sections off the rest of
and precisely sections off the rest of
and precisely sections off the rest of it this is just cortex here I think just
it this is just cortex here I think just
it this is just cortex here I think just cortex as well the brain lab looks
cortex as well the brain lab looks
cortex as well the brain lab looks eerily like a kitchen but it’s not the
eerily like a kitchen but it’s not the
eerily like a kitchen but it’s not the spectacle one might expect
spectacle one might expect
spectacle one might expect finally Lewis freezes away all the
finally Lewis freezes away all the
finally Lewis freezes away all the samples to keep the proteins and DNA
samples to keep the proteins and DNA
samples to keep the proteins and DNA fresh for genetic analysis
then histologies Tim Wheelock takes over
then histologies Tim Wheelock takes over this is an Alzheimer’s brain just
this is an Alzheimer’s brain just
this is an Alzheimer’s brain just looking at it we know something’s wrong
looking at it we know something’s wrong
looking at it we know something’s wrong this one’s normal a normal brain on
this one’s normal a normal brain on
this one’s normal a normal brain on average way is about 1400 grams just
average way is about 1400 grams just
average way is about 1400 grams just over 3 pounds on Alzheimer’s case
over 3 pounds on Alzheimer’s case
over 3 pounds on Alzheimer’s case 800-900 less than 2 pounds actually
800-900 less than 2 pounds actually
800-900 less than 2 pounds actually shrinking you’ve got neurons billions of
shrinking you’ve got neurons billions of
shrinking you’ve got neurons billions of neurons dying now granted scientists can
neurons dying now granted scientists can
neurons dying now granted scientists can do similar comparisons without the
do similar comparisons without the
do similar comparisons without the hassle of removing someone’s brain brain
hassle of removing someone’s brain brain
hassle of removing someone’s brain brain scans like MRI and PET scans can tell us
scans like MRI and PET scans can tell us
scans like MRI and PET scans can tell us if the brain has shrunk they can even
if the brain has shrunk they can even
if the brain has shrunk they can even watch it at work to show which areas of
watch it at work to show which areas of
watch it at work to show which areas of the brain have problems but they can’t
the brain have problems but they can’t
the brain have problems but they can’t do what Tim’s doing now this is what
do what Tim’s doing now this is what
do what Tim’s doing now this is what happens when melanoma gets into the
happens when melanoma gets into the
happens when melanoma gets into the brain and that is to peer inside the
brain and that is to peer inside the
brain and that is to peer inside the brain cells you can’t do any research on
brain cells you can’t do any research on
brain cells you can’t do any research on the tissue because you really don’t know
the tissue because you really don’t know
the tissue because you really don’t know what it is for now this is the only way
what it is for now this is the only way
what it is for now this is the only way to get those cells and the only way to
to get those cells and the only way to
to get those cells and the only way to fully understand what’s really wrong or
fully understand what’s really wrong or
fully understand what’s really wrong or right with the human brain
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