Brain Awareness Week 2023: Empowering the public to learn more about the brain all year long

For over ten years, NINDS has participated in Brain Awareness Week, taking place in 2023 from March 13 – 19, as a weeklong celebration of both the complexity and mystery of the brain. At NINDS, we strive to gain a deeper understanding of the brain and nervous system to develop effective therapies for all people with neurological disorders and stroke. Fulfilling these goals requires not only the rigorous scientific research that NINDS funds at institutions across the country, but also sharing the exciting discoveries with the public.

The goal of Brain Awareness Week is to improve public awareness of the brain and enthusiasm for brain science. Brain Awareness Week and other neuroscience education events take place in person and virtually year round, and an online events calendar is available for the public to find local and online opportunities to learn more about the brain and brain research. There are also resources available for organizations and community members to host their own events.

Brain Awareness Week began 27 years ago, founded by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain. Its early goal was to gather diverse perspectives in brain research from medicine, academia, advocacy groups, and government, all together in the pursuit of new preventions, treatments, and cures for neurological diseases and disorders. Since then, Brain Awareness Week has expanded into an international endeavor to improve the public’s education about the brain and brain research. In 2022, Brain Awareness Week events spanned 33 states and the District of Columbia, and 45 countries across 6 continents, with the support of universities, government agencies, and scientific and advocacy organizations. In addition, a recent population survey commissioned by Research!America in partnership with the Dana Foundation found that Americans are optimistic and curious about brain health research, and are interested in having a voice in setting research priorities.

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Among the key findings in the population survey commissioned by Research!America in partnership with the Dana Foundation:

1. More than 8 in 10 Americans are affected by brain health issues
2. Americans consider brain health to be among the most important health issues
3. Overall, Americans say they are not knowledgeable about brain health research
4. Americans have high levels of trust for doctors, researchers, and health professionals
5. Americans are curious and hopeful about brain health research, although still somewhat cautious
6. Most Americans support increased investment in brain health research, with greater patient engagement

In addition to sharing our discoveries with the public as part of Brain Awareness Week, an important component of that outreach includes engaging people with lived experience of neurological disorders, one of the cross-cutting strategies outlined in the 2021-2026 NINDS Strategic Plan. 

For this year’s Brain Awareness Week, as in previous years, NINDS staff actively engaged in efforts to increase public education and awareness around the brain and brain research. On social media, we released a series of videos, each featuring a brain quiz presented by scientist and staff volunteers from across NINDS. Viewers were challenged to answer questions about neuroanatomy, brain cells, and traumatic brain injury.

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NINDS also partners with area schools to share our enthusiasm for brain science with the next generation of neuroscientists. This year, we partnered with Bayard Rustin Elementary School in Rockville, MD, bringing Brain Awareness Week activities to their STEM Festival and Expo on Saturday, March 18. More than 500 1^st – 5^th grade students learned about their senses and perception with the NINDS Curiosity Boxes, were able to “feel” a brain by touching brain gelatin molds, and made their own ‘brain hats’ while they learned about the brain’s lobes and their functions.

I am especially proud of our regular partnership with the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System to bring neuroscience activities to events such as summer lunch programs, after school STEM Fairs, and other events reaching diverse communities at branches across the county. Last year, NINDS also brought the Lobe-oratorium® exhibit and other hands-on activities to the 9^th STEM Extravaganza presented by the Baltimore Murep Aerospace Academy at Morgan State University, which attracted more than 600 children and adults. We’re excited to return to Baltimore this fall as we continue this collaboration!

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While Brain Awareness Week occurs during one week in March, we celebrate the spirit of Brain Awareness Week throughout the year. In addition to our social media and in-person education efforts, NINDS strives to be a source of accurate and up to date information about neuroscience and brain health through content on our website and webpages.  Neuroscience teaching and learning resources, including the Brain Basics series and neuroscience activity videos, are available to the public on the Brain Education Resources page. The NINDS Health Information page covers more than 400 neurological diseases and disorders, empowering the public with information on existing preventions and treatments, as well as how to get involved in the research process by participating in clinical trials. You can also learn more about the work of NINDS by exploring the complex paths involved in the development of FDA-approved treatments for neurological diseases and disorders on the NINDS Contributions to Approved Therapies page, and stay up to date on the latest scientific advances through our NINDS news and press releases, as well as through Director’s Messages from NIH BRAIN Initiative Director Dr. John Ngai.

We look forward to celebrating Brain Awareness Week, and I hope you will access some of these events and resources to join us in recognizing the importance of brain science every year, all year long!

Related Resources:

• Research!America and Dana Foundation Survey Press Release
• Research!America and Dana Foundation Survey Slide Deck
• Research!America and Dana Foundation Survey Executive Overview