A WOMAN who donated her husband’s brain and spinal cord for research into dementia has decided to follow suit.

Norah Marshall, 81, does not suffer from the cognitive condition, but hopes her own tissue will also help scientists develop a better understanding that could lead to improved treatment for future generations.

Her late husband, Matthew Marshall, died last year, aged 87, after suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia.

The former Consett steelworker’s tissue was donated for use in medical research and now his widow wants to do the same.

Norah Marshall, of Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham, said: “I did it for Matty and I am going to do so as well.

“They need people to help them with their research and act as a donor whether they have got dementia or not.

“I am not going anywhere yet but I have put things in place.”

Mrs Marshall has now raised over £1,700 from people in her community for the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource at Newcastle University.

Mrs Marshall, who has two daughters and two grandchildren, said she is not squeamish about the prospect of donating her brain when she dies.

She said: “I will not know. I am not going to feel anything so it does not make any difference. If you are dead, you are dead, and my family is in agreement.

“It is the brain tissue and the spinal cord I have donated.

“I hope doctors will be able to learn from it.”

Michelle Widdrington, the autopsy liaison senior research nurse at the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource, said around 820,000 people are currently living with a form of dementia in the UK and the number is expected to double within a generation.

She said: “Brain ageing and dementia research is a high priority as debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's become increasingly common.

“Careful examination of brain tissue is the best possible way to increase our understanding and help fight these diseases.

“We need to look at both affected and healthy tissue so that comparisons can be made and we can see which changes are due to disease and which are related to normal ageing.”