Former Home Secretary David Blunkett has said he is leaving his brain to medical research when he dies – in the hope it can be used to find a cure for dementia-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The Daily Mail reports that newlywed Mr Blunkett is supporting a campaign to highlight a shortage of brains available to researchers studying the disease. Mr Blunkett, 62, says he hopes his contribution to medical research will encourage others to leave their brains to the £2 million network of brain banks, Brains for Dementia Research.

Mr Blunkett does not suffer from Alzheimer’s, but he is vice president of the Alzheimer’s Society – the condition affects 700,000 people in the UK and Mr Blunkett said his involvement has helped him to see how the degenerative illness affects people. Healthy brains are needed for research so that they can be compared with the brains of those suffering from dementia-related conditions.

Other public figures who have signed up to donate their brains to medical research include journalist and TV presenter Jeremy Paxman, actress Jane Asher and journalist and TV presenter John Stapleton – all of whom are donating their brains to research into Parkinson’s disease.

The director of Brains for Dementia Research at King's College London, Professor Paul Francis, said researchers needed around 200 brains annually for research purposes.

'Much of what we know about the brain – how it works and current dementia treatments –

comes from research on donated brain tissue. Brains for Dementia Research aims to set a gold standard for dementia research and ultimately find a cure.'

Mr Blunkett will be assessed for the brain bank when he reaches the age of 65. Brains for Dementia Research has centres at London, Manchester, Oxford and Cardiff.

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