Brain Awareness Week 2018

During the week of March 12 to 16, various activities related to the dissemination of neuroscience were carried out. The activities included talks aimed at secondary and university students, teachers, workers in health and social development area from municipality of Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The activities took place in "El Cruce - Dr. Néstor Kirchner" Hospital (HEC), the National University Arturo Jauretche (UNAJ) and the Municipal Museum of Florencio Varela.

Organization

Organizing Committee: PhD Cecilia Forcato, PhD Silvia Kochen, PhD Paula González

Collaborators: PhD Lucía Alba, BSc Mariana Vallejo, BSc Malen Moyano, PhD Mariana Bendersky

Activities

The activities carried out are summarized below:

Monday 12-03

10-12 hs. Workshop on "Healthy Aging" by BSc. Patricia Solís. This workshop was the first meeting of a total of 4 workshops in which problems related to the prevention and treatment of cognitive diseases in older adults were addressed. Participatants included: retired centers, health and social development workers from the municipality of Florencio Varela. It was carried out in the Museum of F. Varela. Watch the video to listen to an advance of her talk (only in Spanish).

17-19 hs. Inaugural talk by PhD. Silvia Kochen. "Medicinal Cannabis and Epilepsy", held in Room 1 Auditorium of the HEC. Around 40 people attended.

Wednesday 14-03

17-19 hs. Scientific Cinema. The film "Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind" was screened. After the screening, Dr. Cecilia Forcato coordinated a debate among participants on the theme of memory. The activity was held in the Superior Council Room of UNAJ. 25 people participated.

Thursday 15-03

14-16 hs. Mental Health and Neuroscience Workshop coordinated by PhD. Luciana D'Alessio, PhD Mónica Fernández Lima and PhD Laura Scévola. It was held in Room 1 Auditorium of the HEC. About 40 people participated.

17-19 hs. Scientific Cinema. The film "Limitless" was screened. After the screening, PhD. Silvia Oddo coordinated a debate with the participants. 20 people participated in this activity. Sala Superior Council UNAJ.

Friday 16-03

9-19 hs. Exhibition: "Everything you wanted to know about how your brain works and you were encouraged to ask ... but it was not enough". The exhibition included interactive demonstrations on neuroimaging techniques and neuronal electrical activity recordings; brain anatomy; evolution of the human brain; sleep and memory; cognition and language; medicinal cannabis and epilepsy; chronobiology. Lectures on the excibition's themes were also delivered.

Talks addressed to school teachers and secondary schools and university students, and the community in general were organized. Brenda Giagante talked about epilepsy. Here's an advance of her talk (only in Spanish).

10-10.40 hs. Talk. Why do we feel pain? PhD Mariana Bendersky.

11-11.40 hs. Talk. The clock that controls us from within. PhD Lia Frenkel.

15-15.40 hs. Talk. What happens to our memories while we sleep? PhD Cecilia Forcato.

17-17-40 hs. Talk. Why do we remember and forget? PhD Silvia Kochen

Students from two secondary schools in the area participated in the fair, as well as students and teachers from UNAJ, and the general public. Approximately 250 people participated in the activities throughout the day.

Dissemination

The activities during the Brain Awareness Week were disseminated through the institutional webpages of CONICET, UNAJ and HEC. Likewise, dissemination was carried out via Facebook and Instagram. You can check the content by clicking to the following addresses (contents are available only in Spanish):

UNAJ's webpage: https://www.unaj.edu.ar/semana-del-cerebro/

HEC's webpage: http://www.hospitalelcruce.org/index.php/noticiasprincipal/4078-semana-del-cerebro

CONICET's webpage: http://www.laplata-conicet.gov.ar/un-centro-de-neurociencias-del-conicet-abrira-sus-puertas-a-la-comunidad/

@semanadelcerebroenenys