BRAIN DAY 2016 – Programme

FROM FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH TO THERAPY

A day with a focus on Bochum’s neuroscience with lectures, information stands and activities.
14.09.2016, 13-17, RUB Conference Center


PROGRAMME

13:00BEGIN OF THE SUPPORTING PROGRAMME
Presentations of patient groups
Activities to join in
13:30WELCOME AND OPENING
PD Dr. Dirk Jancke,
Vize-Sprecher SFB 874, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
13:45PROTEOMICS AND THE SEARCH FOR THE CAUSE OF PARKINSON’S
Dr. Caroline May,
Medizinisches Proteom-Center, Zentrum für klinische Forschung (ZKF), Ruhr University Bochum
14:15GOOD MOOD IN THE BRAIN! DOES THE CHEMICAL MESSENGER SEROTONIN MAKE US HAPPY?
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Olivia Masseck,
Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum
Read more
Does the chemical messenger serotonin really make us happy? And how is serotonin connected to the development and manifestation of depression? The lecture will give an overview of the many functions of serotonin in our nervous system. The audience will learn to what extent serotonin influences our emotional thinking and feeling.
The talk will also give some insight into current research results. These use optogenetics, a new combination of optic and genetic methods, to help understand the way serotonin works. The scientists use light sensitive proteins as light switches to control the signalling pathways of chemical messengers like serotonin with a precision that has never been seen before.
The speaker will also highlight how research results contribute to finding new forms of treatment for anxiety disorders and depression.
14:45COFFEE BREAK + SUPPORTING PROGRAMME
16:00THE PATH TO OBESITY: LEARNED EATING HABITS OR GENETIC PREDISPOSITION?
PD Dr. Burkhard Pleger,
Neurological University Clinic, Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil
Read more
Obesity is an increasingly severe worldwide health issue. The condition not only increases the risk of diabetes and fat metabolism disorders, it can also lead to strokes and heart attacks. Established weight reduction methods like diet and sports programmes often only have minor effects on body weight. In addition, after the end of a diet programme the dreaded yo-yo effect sets in. In order to develop more effective ways of losing weight, it is important to better understand the problem of overeating.
The choice of our daily nutrition is determined by our brain. Why do we eat too much fatty foods, even though we know it will end up making us sick? In his lecture the speaker will explain which mechanism in our brain supports unhealthy eating habits. In so doing the two most important factors of obesity will be highlighted and weighed against each other: learned eating habits versus genetic disposition.
16:30I SEE SOMETHING YOU DON’T: BODILY PERCEPTION IN EATING DISORDERS
Prof. Dr. Boris Suchan,
Clinical Neuropsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum
Read more
“How can you not see that?” Women with anorexia nervosa are often confronted with disbelief, when they perceive themselves as too fat.
New approaches with magnetic resonance tomography have attempted to explain this phenomenon. It is presumed that in these women areas of the brain are affected that process the visual perception of bodies. These kinds of misinterpretations of faces have been known for 70 years. The lecture will show how we process important information like faces and bodies and attempt to explain, from a neuroscientific standpoint, what happens when this perception goes wrong.

SUPPORTING PROGRAMME

Meet Bochum’s neuroscientists! Learn about current research projects and see demonstrations of scientific methods.

Where are hippocampus, cerebellum, or pituitary gland? Members of the Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, will help you get oriented in the brain. Discover the most astonishing human organ under the microscope, through exhibits, and diagrams.

The Neuropsychological Therapy Centre will introduce an online guidebook for people with acquired brain damage and their relatives. A special approach to how acquired brain damage may be explained to children will also be presented.

Have you seen your brain at work? The Neural Plasticity Lab lets visitors see and influence their own brain activity using an EEG. If you want to dive into the world of sensory illusions, then we suggest “feeling” some of the lab’s tactile illusions.

Get physically active with sports scientists from the Ruhr University’s Department of Sports Medicine and Sports Nutrition. Their theme is “Sensory perception – “SENSationally” fascinating!” Attempt a circuit course for the senses and discover how the senses “vision” and “balance” can influence your physical performance.

The EU Project ICanHear and the Collaborative Research Center 823 investigate the acoustic perception of humans. Learn how the human auditory system works. And, with the help of audio demonstrations, experience the effects of hearing loss and the performance of hearing aids.

What are the effects of stress and how can stress be investigated scientifically? Scientists from the Department of Cognitive Psychology have the answers. Learn what stress does to the brain und which methods scientists use to create it.


INFORMATION STANDS OF THE SUPPORT GROUPS

Adipositas-Zentrum-Bochum

Alzheimer Gesellschaft Bochum e.V. Demenz-Servicezentrum Region Ruhr

Autismus-Therapie-Zentrum Dortmund und Hagen

Clusterkopfschmerz-Selbsthilfe-Gruppe Recklinghausen

Deutsche Myasthenie Gesellschaft e.V.

Epilepsie-Selbsthilfegruppe Essen

Gesichtsfeldausfall-Selbsthilfegruppe Niederrhein

GUILLAIN-BARRÉ SYNDROM – Deutsche GBS Initiative e.V.

Neuronale-Ceroid-Lipofuszinose – Gruppe Deutschland e.V.

Polio – Bundesverband Polio e.V.

and others


REGISTRATION

Participation is free of charge.
Please confirm your attendance via
Sfb874-pr@rub.de
Or Phone: 0234 32-26675


DIRECTION

Public Transport subway U35 exit “Ruhr-Universität Bochum”, enter through Mensa (university cafeteria)

Download detailed directions here. (in German)

Car: via Universitätsstraße, Parking Deck P9, then follow signposts

Download Map Directions here.