Brain Day Dunedin 2013
Brain Day Dunedin lectures & seminars now available to view online – please click on each link below to view:
Audio Recordings of Lectures: Professor Paul Smith Dr Gwyn Lewis Professor Warren Tate Alzheimers Otago Otago MS Society
Powerpoint Presentations: Prof Paul Smith Dr Gwyn Lewis Prof Warren Tate Otago MS Society
Other material on Tinnitus:
Tinnitus prevalence & characteristics among US adults, Shargorodsky et al (2010)
Association between depression & tinnitus, Loprinzi et al (2013)
Gender & chronic tinnitus, Seydel et al (2013)
Tinnitus – TT annual research issue 2012
Pharmacological treatments for tinnitus, Langguth and Elgoyhen (2012)
****************************************************************************************************
Brain Day Dunedin is a FREE public event brought you by the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand and the University of Otago. as part of Brain Awareness Week. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy a programme of presentations from leading New Zealand neuroscientists and clinicians who provide updates of their incredible work in the laboratory and clinic. In between lectures, local community support groups set up in the dedicated expo areas answer questions about services in the community and provide specific patient information.
Please join us for an exciting programme of key speakers and seminars (see schedule below) on Saturday 16th March!
- 3 key speakers
- Seminars from Alzheimers Otago & Otago MS Society
- Displays and information from various community support groups
- Brain waves: demonstrations throughout the day of how brain waves are recorded
- Plastinated brain display
- No bookings required
- Please arrive early to secure your seating – our key speakers have attracted large numbers in the past
- For further information please phone 0508 BRAINS (0508 272 467)
KEY SPEAKERS
10.00am – 11.00am Professor Paul Smith: Tinnitus: what’s the buzz?
Chronic tinnitus is a debilitating condition affecting approximately ten per cent of the population. There are very limited drug treatment options, mainly due to a lack of systematic, well-controlled preclinical drug studies and a lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the condition. It has been suggested that tinnitus is generated in the brain by the hyperactivity of brain cells involved in hearing. In this lecture, Professor Paul Smith will discuss his recent research investigating a potential new treatment for severe chronic tinnitus.
12.00pm – 1.00pm Dr Gwyn Lewis: The potential effects of brain stimulation for chronic pain
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that has been shown to reduce pain in people with chronic pain conditions. The brain processes involved in pain reduction following tDCS are currently unknown. It is important to determine the effects of tDCS to understand the mechanisms of analgesia and identify patient groups who will be most responsive to tDCS. In this lecture, Dr Gwyn Lewis will outline her new research which will examine changes in the nervous system of people with long-term arm pain who will receive brain stimulation intervention over five days. The study findings will provide more information on how brain stimulation works and the types of patients who will benefit most from this treatment. This will facilitate the clinical use of brain stimulation for the treatment of chronic pain.
2.00pm – 3.00pm Professor Warren Tate: Proteins on the brain: Alzheimer’s disease under the microscope
Alzheimer’s Disease is an incurable, degenerative disorder currently affecting over 45,000 New Zealanders. Most attention has focused on a peptide, amyloid-β, as the possible cause due to its toxicity in brain cells. Evidence shows that the balance between this peptide and another secreted amyloid precursor protein, both originating from the same parent molecule, may be critical to the disease process. In contrast to amyloid-β, this protein protects against damage to nerve cells and supports memory mechanisms. In this lecture, Professor Tate will discuss his recent research seeking to discover the underlying mechanisms of this protein’s effects in the brain and investigating its therapeutic potential in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
SEMINARS
11.15am – 11.45am Alzheimers Otago: Caring for the Carer
Caring for someone with dementia can be an intensive, challenging and rewarding experience all at once. It is important you do not try to manage alone – there are services available to help you from health professionals and social services. This seminar will take you through support options available and provide some key tools to enhance the wellbeing of you, your family, and the person you are caring for.
1.15pm – 1.45pm Otago MS Society: Living with MS
A diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis can be overwhelming, with one of the greatest challenges being the unpredictability and uncertainty of what might happen in the future. It is important that people with MS, their families and friends are informed about the support networks available in their communities and know they are not alone. This seminar will look at the issues and facts of living with MS, and give practical information on managing symptoms.