Introduced in 1995 with 160 organizations in the U.S., Brain Awareness Week was expanded worldwide in 1997 with the European Dana Alliance for the Brain. It is now a regular calendar fixture for a variety of partner organizations, including the Society for Neuroscience, major universities and research centers, patient advocacy groups, and K-12 schools.

In the U.S., the Dana Alliance will release its 2006 Progress Report on Brain Research, an annual publication highlighting recent advances in brain research, with an introduction by Thomas Insel, director, National Institute of Mental Health. The featured essay on neuroimaging is by Dana Alliance member Marcus Raichle, co-director of Radiological Sciences and professor of Radiology and Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine. Outlining progress in the field, due in part to the worldwide movement to establish special research-imaging centers, Raichle describes advances in the areas of individual differences, brain development, and the resting brain. However, he says, "If we are not careful, functional brain imaging could be viewed as no more than a modern and extraordinarily expensive version of 19th-century phrenology."

The Report also features an essay on the aging brain by Dana Alliance members Marilyn Albert, director, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, and Guy McKhann, professor of neurology and neuroscience, the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, both at Johns Hopkins University. Albert and McKhann examine changes in memory with age, possible causes, and genetic and environmental influences.

The Report covers the previous year's significant advances, from ten areas of neuroscience research including neuroethics, pain, stem cells and neurogenesis, childhood disorders, and neuroimmunology. In the introduction, Dana Alliance member Thomas Insel writes, "The challenge in all of these areas – genomics, imaging, stem cell biology – is to translate the technological advances into improved public health and welfare."

During Brain Awareness Week, participating organizations worldwide plan activities exploring the brain's relevance in everyday life, emphasizing audience participation. These focus on children and educators, include essay competitions, school workshops, and teacher trainings, as well as brain-related art exhibits, concerts, book discussions, and film screenings.

For example, a Houston, Texas learning project on transforming neuroscience lessons into artwork will culminate in an art exhibit by K-12 students. Sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine and Mind Puddles, a local gallery, proceeds from artwork sales will benefit neuroscience research.

In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, "Your Brain on Music," sponsored by Wake Forest University Medical Center will feature experts in brain imaging and cognition.

The DaVinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is inviting K-8 students and their families to enjoy hands-on brain activities, while teachers attend a brain workshop, all facilitated by students and professors from Moravian, Muhlenberg, and Cedar Crest colleges.

The Oregon Health and Science University in Portland will hold a comprehensive public events series during Brain Awareness Week and beyond, including teacher trainings, public lectures, a town hall discussion on getting pharmaceutical breakthroughs from the laboratory to the patient, and a Brain & Body Fair.

One activity, the "Brain Bee," has become a popular annual event involving high school students. This live question-and-answer competition tests high school students' knowledge of neuroscience. Regional competitions are held across North America, as well as in China and India, from January to March. The Dana Alliance sponsors "Brain Bee" events in New York City and Washington, DC. The final national competition is held during Brain Awareness Week at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

The Dana Alliance hosts a Brain Awareness Week Web site for the public at www.dana.org/brainweek, which includes an international calendar, education resources, downloadable graphics, puzzles, publications, and general information.

The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives is a nonprofit organization of more than 250 leading neuroscientists, including ten Nobel laureates. The Dana Alliance is committed to advancing public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. It is supported by the Dana Foundation, a private philanthropic organization with particular interests in neuroscience, immunology, and arts education.

© 2006 HealthNewsDigest.com