“Protect your brain from alcohol and drugs” is the title of the meeting that will be held Monday, June 18 at 21.00 in Madignano, near Crema, attended by Professor Giulio Maira, world-renowned neurosurgeon of Humanitas.
A public meeting, organized at the Don Bosco Oratory of the Parish of Madignano, dedicated to young people, teachers, parents, educators and workers to explain the harm and effects that drugs and alcohol have on the brain. Prof. Maira is one of Italy’s leading experts in the field of neuroscience and is also at the forefront of education thanks to the Fondazione Atena Onlus where he is president.
Alcohol and drug consumption on the rise
Alcohol consumption is a growing concern: more and more young people and very young people consume a large amount of alcohol outside meals and within a short period of time. Drug use is also on the rise: in 2016, 32.9% of 15- to 19-year-olds reported having used at least one illegal psychoactive substance during their lifetime.
The theme at the center of the meeting
The objective of the meeting, in a sort of dialogue with children and educators, is to highlight not only the risks, but also the effects that alcohol and drugs have from a scientific point of view on the brains of young people, to support the dissemination of more responsible behavior and awareness.
In fact the consumption of alcohol and drugs is strongly discouraged especially for young people aged 16-17 years, because the brain that is still in formation can be blocked in its development by these substances.
“Drugs, for example, occupy the same receptors as dopamine, which gives rise to pleasure. The use of drugs conditions the functioning of our brains in such a way that forces us to repeat that pleasure. However, it’s an artificial high that damages the cerebral organ by modifying its metabolism, efficiency, and also by altering our personality and judgment,” explains Professor Maira.