The Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas has its 2011 lineup of topics and speakers for its annual lecture series in February. Sponsored by The Container Store, the dates and subjects are:
Tuesday, February 1 — “Brain Plasticity and Frontal Lobes: Using Your Brain More Effectively” (The Emy Lou and Jerry Baldridge Lecture)
Speaker: Dr. Donald Stuss
Fear of memory decline going hand-and-hand with normal aging grips a population growing older day by day. But recent discoveries about bran plasticity – the brain’s ability to modify itself – can diminish the dread. Dr. Stuss will share more about the flexible brain, including its neuronal compensation abilities, the importance of the frontal lobes on brain training and how environmental factors impact the brain’s remarkable plasticity.
Tuesday, February 8 — “Why Does A Child’s Brain Develop As It Does?” (The Horchow Family Lecture)
Speaker: Dr. Helen Neville
An array of research is underway examining a variety of influences on cognition in children of all ages. Some of it concentrates on the impact of experience on brain development; other studies investigate the role genes play in the optimal maturing of cognitive abilities. Dr. Neville will explain how such research expands understanding of brain function development and its implications for future directions in education.
Tuesday, February 15 — “NeuroFuture: Using Neuroimaging to Predict Human Behavior” (The RGK Foundation Lecture)
Speaker: Dr. John Gabrieli
Modern neuroimaging techniques measure functional and structural properties of the brain that actually predict future behavior. Such measurements can help identify when the brain is ready to perform and learn, and, for clinical purposes, predict when children will make the most progress in overcoming neurodevelopmental disorders or forecast which patients will best respond to specific therapies. Dr. Gabrieli will explain how today’s neuroimaging predicts the future.
Tuesday, February 22 — “Happiness: Four Things Your Mother Didn’t Tell You” (The Sally and Forrest Hoglund Lecture)
Speaker: Dr. Daniel Gilbert
Most of us think we know what would make us happy. But research in psychology, economics and neuroscience shows that people are not very good at predicting what will make them happy, how happy it will make them or how long that happiness will last. Dr. Gilbert will share why, when it comes to finding happiness, we cannot always trust our imaginations – or our mothers.
The lectures will take place at the Center for BrainHealth, 2200 W. Mockingbird. Single tickets are $35 for one lecture, $45 at the door and $130 for a series pass for all four lectures. Better not hesitate because they are usually totally sold out.