Take steps to protect your brain: expert

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Tuesday, 13 November 2007

South Australians are being urged to do more to protect their brains from degeneration and damage.

One of Australia's leading researchers into brain injury - Professor Robert Vink, Chair of Neurosurgical Research at the University of Adelaide - says anyone wanting to have a healthier brain can incorporate the results of the latest neurological research into their daily lives.

Professor Vink is the next speaker in the University of Adelaide's highly successful free lecture series, Research Tuesdays, at 5.30pm today (Tuesday 13 November).

His lecture, "Looking after your brain - new approaches to an age-old problem", will examine some of the revolutionary new approaches being developed for brain protection in both the young and the old.

"How the brain works remains one of the great unknowns of modern medicine," Professor Vink says. "This is even more of an issue when it comes to how the brain attempts to survive and recover from acute stroke and trauma and chronic injury.

"We can help the brain to survive such injuries by keeping it as healthy as possible and therefore less susceptible to degeneration. We can do this by constantly stimulating the brain with reading, writing and intellectual challenges, while also ensuring that it receives brain food in terms of vitamins and minerals, especially magnesium and antioxidants.

"We all know the saying 'use it or lose it' - the same applies to the brain.

"As researchers unlock more of the brain's mysteries, we can also employ new pharmacological therapies and rehabilitative techniques to help people recover from stroke and trauma more quickly and effectively."

Professor Robert Vink is also the Head of the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide. He has a particular interest in developing and commercialising novel pharmacological approaches to brain protection.

The Research Tuesdays public seminars - held on the second Tuesday of every month - give leading researchers an opportunity to engage with business, community leaders and the general public on issues that impact on them.

PLEASE NOTE: Professor Vink's free lecture tonight is completely booked out.

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