U of S Joins Brain Awareness Week March 15 to 21

Posted March 12, 1999


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 12, 1999
99-03-09-ME

U of S Joins Brain Awareness Week March 15 to 21


Saskatoon, SK. -- Brain Awareness Week events will highlight exciting
strides University of Saskatchewan neuroscientists are making to help
unravel the mysteries of the brain and find treatments for disorders such as
Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries.

"Advances in neuroscience are happening at such an incredible rate that it's
difficult for the public to keep up," said U of S professor emeritus Sergey
Fedoroff.

"We've joined this international brain awareness campaign so the public is
aware of the latest developments both locally and worldwide."

The special week highlighting brain and spinal cord research has been
officially proclaimed by the Saskatchewan government, the City of Saskatoon
and five other cities.

Health Minister Pat Atkinson and Judy Junor, Associate Minister of Health,
will attend a kick-off dinner tonight at the Ramada Hotel. David Schreyer,
director of the Cameco MS Neuroscience Research Center and a U of S
associate professor, will report on the state of neuroscience in
Saskatchewan and some of the year's outstanding achievements.

During the week, U of S researchers will present public lectures, make TV
appearances, speak to service clubs and host a "Brain Show" at Innovation
Place. As well, graduate students will visit several area elementary and
high schools to give presentations.

On three evenings during the week, public lectures will be held at the
Francis Morrison Library on Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and child
language development.

The Brain Show will take place on Saturday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
at the Innovation Place Galleria. The event will feature more than 30 booths
on wide-ranging brain and spinal cord research, video presentations, and
questions-and-answer sessions. This year for the first time a free transit
bus will leave hourly from City hall and travel to the Galleria. The bus
will stop at the Place Riel Student Centre along the way.

Fedoroff noted basic research carried out at the U of S almost a decade ago
has helped pave the way for some of the most exciting work going on today
into the possibility of brain and spinal cord regeneration. "Our researchers
have laid the groundwork for some very important research around the world
in neural cell transplantation," he said.

Now U of S researchers are doing basic research into repair of damaged
neural cells, work which could be important in treating spinal cord injury
or finding treatments for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other diseases. As
well, an anticonvulsant with potential to treat epilepsy has been developed
at the U of S and clinical trials could begin as early as this spring.

Fedoroff noted disorders of the brain and nervous system afflict one in five
North Americans. "The prevalence of neurological disease is enormous.
Practically everyone has a relative with Alzheimer's disease, for instance.
We want to ensure that families coping with these disorders don't miss out
on anything," he said.


For more information, visit Saskatchewan's Brain Awareness Week home page at
http://duke.usask.ca/~rondouc/BAW.html or contact:

Sergey Fedoroff
Saskatchewan Neuroscience Network
c/o Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4080
fedoroff@duke.usask.ca

Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
Office of the Vice-President Research
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2506
kathryn.warden@usask.ca