WHAT:
The OHSU Brain Institute at Oregon Health & Science University will host its annual Brain Awareness Lecture Series virtually again this year, starting with the first presentation on Wednesday, May 4, and again on May 12 and May 18. The annual event, which started in 2000, is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, drawing thousands of participants including brain care experts, researchers and community members interested in the brain.
LECTURE DETAILS:
Noon, May 4: Watching the fetal brain develop: Can MRI help predict neurological disorders?
Christopher Kroenke, Ph.D., professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine and assistant scientist for the Advanced Imaging Research Center and Oregon National Primate Research Center at OHSU, will share his research using magnetic resonance imaging to observe fetal brain growth and cell changes. His work focuses on the second half of pregnancy, when the surface of the brain changes from smooth to a folded, wrinkled appearance. By observing this process, the goal is to develop new strategies for predicting neurological disorders.
Register to receive the live-stream link.
4 p.m., May 12: Micronutrients for mental health: Exploring the impact of vitamins and minerals on ADHD, anxiety, stress and mood disorders
Jeni Johnstone, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry (child and adolescent psychiatry) in the OHSU School of Medicine, will present the latest research on nutrition’s impact on mental health, including how vitamin and mineral supplements impact a range of mental health conditions.
Register to receive the live-stream link.
4 p.m., May 18: The computer-connected brain: 21st century treatment of epilepsy and brain cancer
Ahmed Raslan, M.D., associate professor of neurological surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine and director of epilepsy and brain mapping for OHSU, will present new technology that promises better results for treatment-resistant epilepsy through brain surgery while the patients are awake. Raslan and colleagues from the University of California San Diego developed film-like sensors that show brain activity in resolution that is 100 times greater than previously existing technologies, enabling surgeons to remove as much of a tumor or lesion as possible without damaging nearby tissue.
Register to receive the live-stream link.