Galway Neuroscience Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway
Public information event for Brain Awareness Week
As part of the international ‘Brain Awareness Week’ event, staff and students of NUI Galway’s Neuroscience Centre are organising a major public information exhibit in the Aula Maxima, Quadrangle, NUI Galway on Tuesday 11th March and Wednesday 12th March from 9am until 3.30pm.
Members of the public and children from local schools will have the opportunity to visit the exhibit to learn more about how the brain and nervous system work. The exhibit consists of interactive displays where visitors can learn more about the nervous system in a hands-on way. For example, there will be various puzzles and tests of hand-eye coordination, visual perception, left/right handedness, creativity and many others.
There will also be lots of general information about the brain and visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about brain disorders, via a series of large information posters prepared by the staff and postgraduate students of NUI Galway Neuroscience Centre. Approximately 180 million Europeans are thought to suffer from a brain disorder, at a total cost of almost €800 billion per annum. The posters cover a variety of illnesses including: Epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Pain, Anxiety, Depression, Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Stroke, Brain injury and Spinal cord injury. Information leaflets obtained from brain-related charities and organizations will be on display and available for the public to take away, such as the DANA Foundation, MS Ireland, Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland, Parkinson’s Association of Ireland, Aware (relating to depression), Chronic Pain Ireland, Shine (relating to mental health, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Brainwave (the Irish Epilepsy Association).
Microscopes will be available to view brain cells and brain tissue sections for those interested in seeing what a brain cell and brain tissue really looks like. Additional features will include plastic models of the nervous system, and even Play-Doh and colouring books for the very young!
The Galway Neuroscience Centre acknowledges funding from the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Science in NUI, Galway, and the DANA Foundation, which have made this event possible.