Thursday, May 05, 2022
Visitors can peer inside the brain at Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn, which is hosting a giant inflatable, walk-through brain display through Friday, May 6.
The 18-feet-wide and 12-feet-tall Mega Brain educates visitors on stroke, brain cancer, multiple sclerosis, concussion, headaches and other conditions that affect the brain. The brain will travel to Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, where it will be on display May 13 and May 18-19.
“There have been a lot of people who experienced stroke or TIA or mini stroke, people who have had concussions, people asking about their mental health,” said Kristy Rehbein, stroke coordinator at Beaumont, Dearborn. “It really offers the opportunity for the community to learn about stroke and other conditions, the recovery and the opportunity to modify your risk factors. It makes it 3-D and live.”
The brain also spurs discussion of different treatment options, like Beaumont's magnetoencephalography, also known as MEG, used in diagnosing and pre-surgical planning for epilepsy and brain tumors. MEG is one of the world’s most advanced neuroimaging technologies for mapping the brain of children and adults. The noninvasive technique measures and produces images of brain activity and function.
Key to brain health is to know your risk, Rehbein said. A stroke risk score card tallies different risk factors for stroke or other brain conditions: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or obesity, among others. A first step for good brain health is routine screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and other modifiable issues, which are typically part of an annual or bi-annual check-up. A doctor can also help with medication therapy or addressing those risk factors.
“A lot of people go the physician when they’re sick, but there’s so much about preventative health that’s so important,” she said. “If they see they are high risk, or even if they’re low risk, they want to modify anything they can. Physicians have a lot of opportunities to help - help with your cholesterol, control your blood pressure, stop smoking, and monitor you - to stop anything from happening to your brain.”