Joint efforts during the past few years have substantially promoted human brain banking as a key component of neuroscience in China and worldwide. This special topic brings together reviews and perspectives on the ethical, administrative, and practical issues of brain banking. Several original studies report molecular and pathological findings based on banked human brain samples. In this cover image, China is highlighted as a crucial part of the brain-shaped mosaic of the national flags of countries with well-established human brain banks; blue dots on the map represent established human brain banks worldwide and red dots indicate the national network of human brain banks in China. The global creation and maintenance of human brain banks are essential to confront the challenges of neurological disorders in China and worldwide. (Cover art by Shenqian Dai and Chao Ma)