title: pH measurement as quality control on human post mortem brain tissue: a study of the BrainNet Europe consortium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most brain diseases are complex entities. Although animal models or cell culture experiments mimic some disease aspects, human post mortem brain tissue remains essential to advance our understanding of brain diseases using biochemical and molecular techniques. Post mortem artefacts must be properly understood, standardized, and either eliminated or factored into such experiments. Here we examine the influence of several premortem and post mortem factors on pH, and discuss the role of pH as a biochemical marker for brain tissue quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed brain tissue pH in 339 samples from 116 brains provided by 8 different European and 2 Australian brain bank centres. We correlated brain pH with tissue source, post mortem delay, age, gender, freezing method, storage duration, agonal state and brain ischaemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results revealed that only prolonged agonal state and ischaemic brain damage influenced brain tissue pH next to repeated freeze/thaw cycles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pH measurement in brain tissue is a good indicator of premortem events in brain tissue and it signals limitations for post mortem investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, Würzburg.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Monoranu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, Würzburg.|Clinical Neurochemistry (National Parkinson Foundation Centre of Excellence Research Laboratory), Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Apfelbacher
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurochemistry (National Parkinson Foundation Centre of Excellence Research Laboratory), Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grünblatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, Würzburg.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Puppe
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Kuopio University, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alafuzoff
authors.affiliation: Institut de Neuropatologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuropathology, London Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Saraj
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Münster.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keyvani
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Georg-August-University, Göttingen.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Georg-August-University, Göttingen.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Falkai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Research Neuropathology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schittenhelm
authors.affiliation: Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute and University of New South Wales, Sydney.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Halliday
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Syndney.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kril
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Syndney.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Monash University, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurochemistry (National Parkinson Foundation Centre of Excellence Research Laboratory), Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riederer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, Würzburg.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roggendorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002545:Brain Ischemia; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods; D011786:Quality Control; D014015:Tissue Banks; D055815:Young Adult