January 27, 1997
UW offers free public series on Addiction and the Brain
Are you fascinated by the workings of the human brain? With drug dependency and alcoholism much in the news, are you interested to learn about the brain’s role in addiction?
As part of a public outreach project on “Addiction and the Brain: Beyond Saying No,” the University of Washington will offer a seven-part evening series on the “Neurobiology of Addiction,” beginning in mid-March.
The free weekly classes will feature UW research scientists and clinicians. Topics include the brain’s anatomy and pathology, its reward systems, addictive behavior, the mechanisms of addiction to alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and other drugs, and research findings. Refreshments and informal interaction with speakers will follow each session.
“This series will provide thought-provoking information on the relationship of addiction to the brain’s built-in reward system,” said Dr. Susanna Cunningham, UW associate professor of nursing and principal investigator on the project. “While the presenters are top scientists, the sessions are designed for the general public.”
Participants must sign up for the entire series, which meets from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, March 19 to April 30, at the UW Health Sciences Center. Applications will be accepted after Feb. 1 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Registrants should call (206) 616-9442 and leave their name, address and phone number, speaking slowly and spelling the last name. Registrations will also be accepted by email at nida@son.washington.edu. Confirmations and further information will be mailed on Feb. 28.
“Addiction and the Brain: Beyond Saying No” is a partnership project organized by the UW School of Nursing, and involving the UW School of Medicine, the UW Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, UW Health Sciences and Medical Affairs News and Community Relations, the Pacific Science Center, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, and the Washington Association for Biomedical Research.
Other activities include The Bioscientist in the Classroom and Community, which includes a speakers bureau, essay competition, innovative curricula and speakers’ training, focusing on the importance of biomedical research, and specifically focusing on the neurobiology of addiction and drug abuse. A multi-grade curriculum on the effects of nicotine and alcohol and an understanding of science processes is being developed.
The project will also utilize the resources of a traveling exhibit called Brain Power, which has toured middle schools for five years. For this project, Brain Power is expanding its audience to include community groups as well as schools and adding a focus on the biology of addiction and the brain.
The project is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health. For additional information visit the project’s web site at http://www.son.washington.edu/~nida.
