Donor Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Autism BrainNet’s inclusion criteria include:

• Individuals with a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD):
  • No age exclusions
  • With or without related health conditions
  • Genetic and idiopathic forms of ASD
• Individuals without a diagnosis of autism but with a genetic diagnosis included in the SPARK gene list that confers a high risk of ASD

Tissue from individuals with a genetic diagnosis is important because it may help to understand why a particular genetic condition leads to ASD in some cases but not in others.

• Individuals without a diagnosis of ASD: 
  • Up to 50 years of age with no known serious neurologic or psychiatric conditions
  • Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP)
  • Sudden unexplained death in adolescents

This donation will benefit scientific studies by allowing the comparison of brain tissue from people with and without ASD.

Exclusion criteria

• For donors with a diagnosis of ASD, the exclusion criteria include the following:
  • Prion disease
• For donors without a diagnosis of ASD, the exclusion criteria include the following:
  • Severe head trauma (traumatic or due to stroke)
  • Prolonged chemotherapy or radiation treatment prior to death
  • Known serious neurological condition such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or frontotemporal dementia
  • Known serious psychiatric diagnosis such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
  • Known bloodborne pathogens, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV or a prion disease
  • Chronic, long-term alcohol or substance abuse

For more information

• • To refer potential donors or for questions about the donation process, call Autism BrainNet at 877-333-0999. We are available 24/7 to answer your questions.

Last updated: May 2, 2024