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Headlines 3 Tuesday 13 June 7pm – on Zoom It’s not all in your head Over 12,000 Kiwis are affected by Parkinson’s disease. One of the brilliant minds working to decipher its cause is Dr Sophie Farrow, postdoctoral fellow at The Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland. Using computational modelling and lab techniques to understand how genes interact, Dr Farrow’s groundbreaking research is shedding light on the development of Parkinson’s disease. (Read more on p7). Visit bit.ly/3Mg2wAM t o register. Tuesday 18 July 7pm – on Zoom A history of Pacific voyaging and Parkinson’s disease Dr Christina Buchanan is a research genetic counsellor in the Department of Neurology, Auckland City Hospital, and an associate investigator at the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, a national centre of research excellence. She’ll share fascinating insights into the single gene variant that causes early-onset Parkinson’s disease (EOPD) that has been discovered in New Zealand’s Pasifika community. (Read more on p4). Visi t bit.ly/42BRVVU t o register. Tuesday 8 August 7pm – on Zoom A brain in your gut? Could dietary compounds provide an easy and natural way to improve daily wellbeing, ease symptoms and even delay disease progression in Parkinson’s disease patients? Dr Elodie Kip (assistant research fellow in the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago) will talk about her research into the role of inflammation in healthy living and whether improving gut health could relieve symptoms of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease via the gut-brain axis. (Read more on p14). Visit bit.ly/44Zio1V t o register. Our upcoming events We would love to see you at one of our upcoming events! All of our talks are free. To register visit our website neurological.org.nz/events o r phone us on 0508 BRAINS (272 467). Exercise regularly. Choose what you love so you’re more likely to keep doing it. Eat a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Stay social. Interactingwith others is good for laughs and great for your brain. Mind your numbers: weight, cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure. Get good sleep. Shut-eye is your brain’s best friend. Wherever possible, manage your stress. Stay curious and keep learning. Your brain will love you for it! See your doctor if you have any concerns. TopTips for BRAINHEALTH Find us at Fieldays 14-17 June at Mystery Creek We’ll be in the BrainSpace in the Health Hub – right next to the giant inflatable brain. We look forward to seeing you!