What’s going on in that brain of yours? There may be as many neurons in one human brain as there are stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. Connecting these neurons are hundreds of trillions of pathways along which electrochemical messages constantly fly. The brain’s uncanny ability to save, coordinate, and retrieve these messages is what creates our memories and very identities.
Neuroscientist and biomedical engineer André Fentonis at the forefront of research on memory and forgetting. He and his colleagues discovered the first mind-bending molecule responsible for preserving long-term memories—and then went on to show how suppressing that molecule could wipe out existing memories. Dr. Fenton asks:
--If we can pinpoint how memories are stored, can we selectively erase bad memories? Should we?
--How are memories retrieved? Why don’t all our memories flood our minds, causing traffic jams of thought?
--How does neuronal activity—taking place on the nanoscale—translate into mental processes and thoughts? What tools are used to investigate?
--Are there medical implications to current discoveries? Where will the future of brain research take us?
Professor at NYU’s Center for Neural Science and president of the BioSignal Group, André Fenton also studies electrochemical brain activity and its relationship to brain diseases and disorders. He is the developer of a mobile, wireless brain monitoring system for use in emergency room and ambulatory settings to help diagnose and prevent seizures.
Before & After
--Saturate yourself in cerebral grooves
--Enjoy the brainy libation of the night—the Fenton Fizz—a potent potion that will realign your neural architecture . . .
--Stick around for the thought-provoking Q&A!
The next dopamine-spikededition of the Secret Science Club meets Tuesday, March 12, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn . Subway: F or G to 4th Ave ; R to 9th St.
Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+
No cover. Just bring your smart self.