Museum Hosts Brain Awareness Week 2002

A 12-year-old holding a human brain; middle school students eating fruit candy in a museum; and pre-teens sniffing from mysterious jars? It may sound like the National Museum of Health and Medicine was taken over by students, however these students were actually learning about the brain by participating in the third annual Brain Awareness Week.

During this week, more than 600 middle and high school students from the Washington, D.C. area gathered at the museum to learn about the brain and brain science. They were able to discover the various functions of the brain by visiting stations set up in the museum.

The stations were designed and operated by collaborating institutions called Partners In Education. This year's Partners In Education included American University, the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, Howard University, the National Institutes of Health, the University of Maryland, the Defensive Head Injury Program at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, the Brain Injury Association, and the National Museum of Health and Medicine, an element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

Katrina Zaiens, a senior at American University, taught students about the olfactory system, or the sense of smell, at her stations titled "Can You I.D. the Smell?" and "Can You Tell the Difference?" During this interactive session students tried to identify common fragrances such as lemon, coffee, and chocolate. They were also required to close their nose and eyes and asked to determine the flavor candy they were eating.

"This activity gets different parts of the brain involved," said Zaiens. "But I was surprised at how many odors the students were able to correctly identify."

Other activities demonstrated how alcohol and drugs affect the brain. Dr. Dennis Twombly and Dr. Roger Sorenson from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism created a tent with a centerpiece of flashing lights that acted as the brain. When the "brain" was impaired, it was not receiving signals correctly and the lights did not flash as rapidly as they would at normal levels. At another station Jeff Walker, a medical engineering technologist in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Laboratory at the University of Maryland, gave kids distortion goggles that alter their perspective and show how the brain reacts in a drunken state. Walker then asked them to throw a ball toward a target. While at the station created by Archie Fobbs, curator of the National Museum of Health and Medicine's neuroanatomical collection, students wore similar Fatal Vision Goggles and were instructed to walk in a straight line. Fobbs promised students a museum mug if they were able to complete the task, and at the end of the week not one mug had been awarded for a successful walk!

Students were also given the opportunity to listen to lectures. Dr. Martha Davila-Garcia, professor of pharmacology at Howard University, spoke about how the brain is used for every action we take. Garcia used slides and photographs to show how the brain connects and communicates to other parts of the body. Dr. Jay Gieed from the National Institute of Mental Health discussed brain growth and injury. He told the story of a railroad worker who was injured during an explosion and how it changed his personality.

Other guest speakers included Dr. Burton Slotnick, a professor in the Department of Psychology at American University; Dr. Don Vereen from the National Institute of Drug Abuse; and Dr. Lisa Sanders in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Laboratory at the University of Maryland.

Alice Marie Stevens, director of Prevention Programs at the Brain Injury Association, also talked to students about brain injury.

"At this station, students are learning about brain injury along the continuum," Stevens said. "They are responding to this station very well. From the time I started to the time they leave I can tell their interest has peaked."

Probably the most exciting activities though, were those that focused on the anatomical comparison of human and animal brains. This is because students got a chance to handle sheep, horse, and human brains. This gave students a real hands-on approach to learning about the brain.

"Students learn more when they are able to see, touch, and be active participants in their learning process," said Nancy Spinosa, a seventh-grade-teacher at Holmes Middle School in Alexandria, Va. "From this field trip, students are more aware of the brain and its functions."

After playing games, solving puzzles, and participating in hands-on sessions for two hours students left the museum to head back to their schools with a greater understanding of the brain.

"The Brain Awareness Week program gives students an opportunity to interact with real scientists, have lots of fun while learning about the brain and how it works, and hopefully, stimulate an interest in science or scientific investigations," said Janet Melson Burns, the museum's chief of public programs.