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James Gallagher, a health and science correspondent, offers a firsthand glimpse into the forefront of dementia research by observing brain surgery at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Amid the sterile environment of the operating theatre, a patient lies sedated while a team of surgeons focuses intently on removing a tumour inside his brain. On the displayed MRI scans, a bright white mass reveals the tumour’s presence deep within brain tissue, a consequence of cancer spreading from the colon. Professor Paul Brennan, a neurosurgeon leading the operation, explains the delicate process required to access the tumour: creating a small opening through the brain’s outer cortex, a layer responsible for critical functions like memory and language.
During this complex procedure, Dr. Claire Durrant, an Alzheimer’s researcher from the University of Edinburgh, collects a rare sample of brain tissue. Unlike most surgeries where removed brain sections are discarded, Edinburgh is among a few institutions worldwide that preserves such tissue, with consent, to advance dementia studies. The sample—only about the size of a thumbnail—is placed into artificial cerebrospinal fluid kept ice-cold to maintain its viability. Dr. Durrant reflects on the significance of this donation, emphasizing the emotional weight behind each sample: “I’m always aware – every time – what we’re getting is a precious gift on what is probably the worst day of that person’s life.”
At the university laboratory, the brain tissue undergoes meticulous preparation to support groundbreaking research. The process begins by embedding the sample in agar jelly, followed by slicing it
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