The Brandeis School of San Francisco – San Francisco in Bloom
Auction Ends: Apr 27, 2015 12:00 AM PDT

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Two tickets for Conversations on Science "Drugs, Dopamine, And Lessons From The Brain"

Item Number
7907
Estimated Value
54 USD
Sold
15 USD to BetsyRoss2
Number of Bids
1  -  Bid History

Item Description

Curious minds want to know!  

California Academy of Sciences presents "Drugs, Dopamine and Lessons from the Brain.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 7:30 pm - Nourse Theatre

Nora D. Volkow In Conversation with Michael Krasny

By definition, drugs are a medicine or other substance that has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. Drugs are chemicals that alter, block, or mimic chemical reactions in the brain.  They may be taken for medicinal purposes, as part of our daily routine such as with caffeine or as a recreational activity. This causes an alteration of the body's normal processes, causing physical changes such as faster heartbeat, deeper respiration or mental changes such as elevated mood and new thought processes. Drugs are used for a myriad of purposes from anaesthesia to psychotherapy. But the question begs, what are the true underlying risks and benefits associated with introducing these chemicals into the body? How does it alter the brain's natural function and what impact does that have on the quality of our lives? The brain is a fascinating organ and we can learn a lot about how our actions and emotions are impacted from chemical changes in the brain when we stop to take a closer look inside our skulls. What you don't know about the dopamine pathway might just surprise you.

Nora D. Volkow, M.D., is Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. Dr. Volkow's work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a disease of the human brain. As a research psychiatrist and scientist, she pioneered the use of brain imaging to investigate the toxic effects and addictive properties of abusable drugs. Her studies have documented changes in the dopamine system, affecting, among others, the functions of frontal brain regions involved with motivation, drive, and pleasure in addiction. She has also made important contributions to the neurobiology of obesity, ADHD, and aging.

Michael Krasny is the host of the KQED Public Radio program Forum. He is also a professor of English at San Francisco State University and the author of Spiritual Envy: an Agnostic's Quest and Off Mike: A Memoir of Talk Radio and Literary Life. His many City Arts & Lectures interviews include Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, John Irving, and Brian Greene.

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Item Special Note

Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 7:30 pm - Nourse Theatre

Donated By:

Victoria and Mark Nassi

We would like to thank our sponsors....

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