​The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study is the largest (with a planned enrollment of 11,000 individuals ages 9-10) longitudinal study of its kind ever conducted.  The recruitment for this 23-site study started in September of 2016; so far approximately 1400 participants age 9-10 have been enrolled in the study.  The Coordinating Site has released some initial data to the participating sites for preliminary analyses.  LIBR will present some very basic characterization of the participants in comparison to the other ABCD sites.  The presentation will have a particular emphasis on gaming and internet activities.  This will include a review of what is known about the influence of gaming on the brain and brain development.  We also welcome questions from the audience during and after the presentation.

"Immune Activation in Psychiatric Disorders”

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture
Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital Conference Center
11:00am - 11:45 pm    Registration and Lunch, lunch stops being served at 11:45 - no exceptions
12:00pm - 1:00 pm     Program

Dr. Yolken is the Theodore and Vada Stanley Distinguished Professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.  He chairs the Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, the nation's first pediatric research center designed to investigate links between early childhood infections and severe mental illness including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and autism.  His research group is investigating whether these disorders can be associated with prior exposure to viral triggers such as herpesviruses and influenza viruses as well as eukaryotic organisms such as Candida albicans and the Toxoplasms gondii.  Their research indicates that antimicrobial and anti-flammatory medications have the potential to treat or prevent serious psychiatric disorders in some individuals.

Dr. Yolken attended Harvard College and Harvard Medical School and received post-doctoral training at Cornell University and the National Institutes of Health.  He has over 480 published peer-reviewed articles and numerous book chapters and presentations at scientific meetings.
 
Learning points:
 
1. Understand immune activation in psychiatric disorders
2. Recognize risk factors
3. Recognize opportunities for intervention
 
REGISTER TO ATTEND!
 
To register, email:  Lauren Haguewood at lehaguewood@saintfrancis.com

​Florence Breslin will present an overview of adolescent drug and alcohol use and abuse around the country and here in Oklahoma. The key themes of the talk are: (a) the real statistics of use to reduce the “not my child” ideology, (b) the effects of use on the developing brain, and (c) how to talk to your child about why to avoid drugs and alcohol.
 
Ms. Breslin is the Child and Adolescent Clinical Assessment Manager at LIBR.  She studied biology and genetics at Niagara University and obtained her Masters in biology and addiction at the University of Virginia.  Ms. Breslin is a Certified Clinical Research Professional with publications in genetics, pre-clinical addiction and neuroimaging.  In January of 2015, Ms. Breslin joined LIBR as the study coordinator for the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, a landmark nation-wide study of adolescent brain development funded by the National Institutes of Health. 

Celebrate Brain Awareness Week! Join the OSU Center for Health Sciences this Friday, March 10th from 10-12pm to learn about physical activity, healthy living and brain function, understanding and responding to dementia-related behavior and dancing for a healthy brain.

Light refreshments and cookies will be served. The event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Darin Tyson at darin.tyson@okstate.edu. We'll see you there!