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The man who mistook his neuropsychologist for a pop star

Tuesday 10 February 2009

How do our brains recognise faces and perform all the functions that we need in everyday life? And how does a patient suddenly mistake his neuropsychologist for pop star George Michael?

The answer to these fascinating questions will be revealed in an exciting free public lecture at the University of East London (UEL) called The man who mistook his neuropsychologist for a popstar: an exploration of the wonders of the human brain, by Dr Ashok Jansari, Principal Lecturer in Cognitive Neuropsychology at UEL, on Wednesday 4th March.

Dr Jansari, an award-winning neuropsychology researcher, will take visitors on an intriguing journey from the earliest thoughts on the brain throughout history to modern ideas of studying brain damage. The lecture will include the first ever depiction of the word ‘brain’ from hieroglyphics in the Egyptian culture over 5000 years ago, to more recent findings and include how a patient of his mistook him for pop singer George Michael.

Dr Jansari said: “In anticipation of international Brain Awareness Week which starts on March 16th, I want to show how complex the human brain is and how vital it is in our everyday lives, without us even knowing.

“We often take everything for granted but if a part of our brain becomes damaged, we suddenly become very vulnerable. This lecture will feature a research patient of mine who suffers from a rare condition called face-blindness and there will be a chance to discuss what living with brain damage means for him.”

The lecture will also cover how unearthing understanding of the brain is helping to develop methods of rehabilitation for people with brain damage. Dr Jansari will address this very new area being researched, which includes the impact of meditation on the brain.

In addition, there will be displays covering research conducted at UEL and information stands from organisations who work with people facing a variety of brain-related disorders.

Dr Jansari received his degree in Experimental Psychology from Kings College Cambridge and then his doctorate at the University of Sussex where he conducted research on memory and amnesia. Following a two year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, he has created an extensive research programme looking at different aspects of memory loss including the development of rehabilitation regimes, impairments in face-recognition, synaesthesia and the create of a Virtual Reality assessment of brain damage.

The lecture will take place at 6pm at University House, Romford Road, Stratford Campus, London E15. For further details or to confirm your attendance, contact the UEL events team on 0208 223 2884 or email events@uel.ac.uk.

For further information about UEL’s public lecture series visit www.uel.ac.uk/lectureseries

Ends.

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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