"Drunken Brain" Exhibit Displayed at Activities in Washington, DC Area

When: July 23, 2003
Where: Fort Detrick, MD
Institute: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Children throughout the Washington, DC area are exploring the "Drunken Brain" exhibit, a four-foot model constructed from chicken wire and flashing Christmas lights. Dennis Twombly, Ph.D., of NIAAA, recently displayed his novel exhibit at the 2003 Brain Awareness Week activities at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Bethesda, MD in March. He will also be displaying the exhibit at the "Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work" day on the NIH campus in Bethesda on April 24. The exhibit will next be displayed at the "Take Your Child to Work Day" at the National Cancer Institute's Frederick, Ft. Detrick facility on July 23.

As part of the exhibit, Dr. Twombly demonstrates how alcohol changes brain-cell activity and interferes with sensory perception, muscle coordination, and memory. Students are also invited to navigate an obstacle course while wearing "Fatal Vision" prism goggles. These goggles allow visitors to experience firsthand the loss of motor performance experienced during alcohol intoxication. Roger Sorensen, Ph.D., and Vishnu Purohit, Ph.D., also from NIAAA, also present exhibits on alcohol-related tissue damage and risks of adolescent binge drinking.

During the Brain Awareness Week activities in March, other NIH institutes with neuroscience-related programs (National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) sponsored plenary talks as well as hands-on exhibits in brain science.

Next steps:
For additional information, contact Dennis A. Twombly, Ph.D., Program Director of Neurophysiology & Pharmacology, Division of Basic Research, NIAAA at (301) 443-9334 or at dtwombly@mail.nih.gov.

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