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 The Brain Awareness Week(BAW) takes place March 14-20, 2005. It is now in its seventh year, and this event has united the Society for Neuroscience with The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and a coalition of over 440 science, advocacy, and other health organizations that share an interest in elevating public awareness of brain and nervous system research. During the week-long educational blitz, Society members will sponsor a variety of educational activities for the general public including lectures, lab tours, classroom visits, and exhibits across North America and internationally to demonstrate the importance of basic neuroscience research to the health and well-being of everyone.
The National Institutes of Health will be sponsoring a series of interactive events and presentations including:
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
NIDA invites students to play Who Wants to be a NIDA Neuroscientist? Patterned after the popular TV program Who Wants to be a Millionaire, the game encourages students to test what they know about how illicit drugs and nicotine act in the brain. Participants will answer a series of questions on a variety of topics related to how street drugs affect the brain. If they are unsure of an answer, a NIDA neuroscientist will be on hand to serve as their life line. Winners receive a certificate, and everyone receives NIDA publications designed for students and parents.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
NIMH's presentation, The Wonders of the Brain, is about perception. Led by young scientists in the NIMH Division of Intramural Research, students explore how the mind plays tricks with images it sees, such as an optical illusion drawing of an elephant with too many legs. One interesting scientific anomaly that the students explore is the Stroop effect. Students are asked to say the color of a printed word, not to read the word itself. For example, for the word, 'red' printed in blue ink, the student should say "blue." However, the word itself can interfere with the process of naming the color of the word. The exhibit encourages participants to think about how their brains work and to become brain-aware.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Eating: It's A Brain Thing. It is often difficult for young people to understand how their brain controls behavior. Dr. Andrea Sawczuk of NINDS will take students on a guided tour of how their brain controls the every-day activity, yet highly complex activity of eating. Students will choose a food, transport it to their mouths, then smell, taste, chew and, finally, swallow the food. Dr. Sawczuk will explain what happens in the brain at each stage of the activity. Student will learn what part of their brain is involved in each stage and how their brain controls the eating process.
Some event links:
Washington University BAW Events and a listing of BAW events around the world
Society for Neuroscience
The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives
BAW Brochure (pdf)
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