■　Seeking a cure for diseases of the mind

People suffering from diseases of the mind, their families and those who wish to help them are eager to find cures for these diseases. However, most of these conditions are still not sufficiently understood. Seeking a means of curing diseases of the mind (psychiatric diseases), psychiatrists and researchers in Fukushima established the Post-mortem Brain and DNA Bank for Psychiatric Research (Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank) in 1997. Understandably, PMB/DNA banks in general need psychological and financial support from the private sector in addition to any aid possible from the public domain. Therefore, we founded the Support Organization for the Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank, known as, “Tsubame-Kai”, to help PMB Bank and also allow the Rainbow Bridge Club to assist in these efforts. In Europe and the United States, many brain banks have been established that systematically collect postmortem brains of patients with psychiatric diseases to provide brain samples to researchers for psychiatric investigations. Results of such research do not benefit the patients who presented their brains for research. However, fruits of such research will be an advantage for possible patients in the next generation. This is the reason why collected postmortem brains are called “the Gift of Hope”. Unfortunately, PMB banks for psychiatric research have rarely been established in Asia; in fact, the Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank is the first systematic bank for psychiatric research in Asia.

Shin-Ichi Niwa

■　Active participation of patients, families and citizens will facilitate development of the Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank.

As mentioned above, the establishment of brain banks in Japan and Asia is far behind that of Europe and the United States. Thus, we are required to facilitate development of the Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank, so that it can bring the hope to potential future patients. In order to facilitate development of the bank, we need to carefully consider possible obstacles to the development of the bank. One of the obstacles is the misunderstanding of psychiatric diseases and/or autopsy. People often resist the notion that psychiatric diseases are caused by deficits in the brain. Also, people often mistakenly believe that an autopsy of the brain reveals contents of the mind and the secrets hidden beneath the personality. We, Tsubame-Kai and Rainbow Bridge Club, see our goal to be correcting these misunderstandings. We also have a desire to encourage patients and general people to register in advance to donate their brains. To achieve these objectives, we publish the newsletter of Tsubame-Kai and Rainbow Bridge Club. We also publish another newsletter conveying the expectant voices and hearts of patients and healthy volunteers who have registered for the bank, which we believe are most persuasive for people who are considering registering. Active participation of patients, families and citizens in the Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank is indispensable for its development. In addition, increasing the membership of Tsubame-Kai and Rainbow Bridge Club is essential for the Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank to develop. We wish to invite you to join Tsubame-Kai and Rainbow Bridge Club and to register with the Fukushima PMB/DNA Bank.