2008 Woodie Awards
Brain Day held at ISU
SRAN sponsored event explains importance of gray matter
Jason Enes
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: News
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The Snake River Association for Neuroscience sponsored ISU Brain Awareness Day on Wednesday, March 12, in the Pond Student Union Building Ballroom. This year's event featured research studies by students, as well as oral presentations and activities that showed what has been learned about the complex brain.
Some activities on hand for people to try were motor skills and functions exercises, presented by Nancy Devine from the Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy. This table had activities like juggling that tested coordination and one that showed how difficult it is to taste something without smelling it.
There was also a left-brain - right-brain test that showed which side of the brain a person uses most often. Also Dr. Jim Groome, President of SRAN had real human brains on display, which he used to show which part of the brain certain diseases affected and which part controlled motor functions.
Brain Awareness Day was part of Brain Awareness Week and it gave the SRAN, the opportunity to showcase what they know about how the brain works and what has yet to be discovered. It also showcased what the students from departments like Psychology, Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences are learning about the functions of the brain when affected by things such as alcohol and methamphetamines.
"The activities promote awareness and what has been learned about brain function," Groome said.
Brain Awareness Day showed the public how complex the human brain is and how it controls the daily functioning of the human body. The presentations and activities by the students and professors helped those who didn't understand science or body function to realize the workings of this very important part of the body.
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