Raising Brain Awareness on Durban’s Beachfront

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This Brain Awareness Week, UKZN’s Anatomy and Physiology Disciplines, embarked on a fun-filled Brain Awareness Walk along Durban’s beachfront.

The Disciplines fall under the School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences (SLMMS).

The promenade walk from North to South Beach was held to help educate beach lovers and passers-by about the importance of looking after the health of one’s brain, ‘as any adverse effect to the organ invariably results in the rest of the body and one’s overall well-being being harmed,’ Team UKZN said.

Carrying placards and chanting ‘Mental Health Matters! Be Kind to your Mind! Healthy Brain, Healthy mind!’ colleagues said it was rewarding to participate in such a public engagement as it not only allowed them to educate members of the public about the brain and preserving it, but it also enabled them to talk about their ongoing mental health-related research projects.

Their topics include drug abuse, mental health issues, Alzheimer’s disease and bipolar disorder, which affect all society at large.

The walk was sponsored by the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) and the students were accompanied by their supervisors, lecturers, technicians and parents, ending #BrainAwarenessWeek on a high note, with pens bearing brain wellness messages printed on them.

‘Continuous public wellness and public engagement is critical for brain health awareness,’ said the UKZN Neuroscience Group, the Zulu Cortex Club.

Neuroscience Cortex Clubs are an international fraternity that UKZN is proud to be part of, according to UKZN SLMMS lecturers and research supervisors: Dr Zama Msibi, Dr Mluleki Luvuyo, Dr Meleshni Naicker, Ms Ntombifuthi Ngubani, and Ms Ziphozethu Ndlanzi.

Master’s student and programme representative for the day, Mr Lungelo Mthembu, said his research focus was on factors that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, particularly, neuroinflammation and chronic stress.

Master’s student, Ms Prisca Gadisi, said her research was on bipolar disorder, while Ms Kiara Rampershad, who recently finished her retrospective honours study at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), researched: Surgical Outcomes of Patients with Hydrocephalus Secondary to Neurocysticercosis.

‘Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is an infection of the central nervous system caused by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium,’ said Gadisi. ‘Data collected included demographics, clinical presentation, computerised tomography (CT) of brain scan findings, haematology, biochemistry and CSF results. The type of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion procedure used to treat hydrocephalus, complications of these procedures and mortality was reviewed.’

Retired teachers, Mr Pete and Mrs Angela Skevington, said it was important to be present to support such an initiative as it undoubtedly had a positive ripple effect on the students and the eThekwini community at large.

Words: Lunga Memela

Photographs: Supplied