(Albany, NY)- The New York State Office of Mental Health is excited to announce “Brain Day,” a free, family-oriented event to highlight brain science and mental health, on Sunday, March 13, 2016, at the Nathan Kline Institute in Orangeburg, New York.

“Events like ‘Brain Day’ at the Nathan Kline Institute give families a rare opportunity to see inside one of the most cutting edge research facilities in the world,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Marie T. Sullivan. “There will be games and fun events for kids as well as interactive exhibits and informational talks for adults. It’s a great way to engage these young minds and get them thinking about a potential future career in science or technology.”

One of the most popular features of the event will be the hands-on display with specimens of a real human brain. These specimens are on loan from the Institute’s research partner, New York University’s Langone Medical Center. Participants are invited to put on gloves and explore the physical dynamics of the human brain.

“This is the third year we’ve had Brain Day and it’s always a really big hit with children and their families,” said Dr. Russell Tobe, Director of the Outpatient Research Department at the Nathan Kline Institute. “It’s a great opportunity for us to open our doors, invite the community into our facility and share our work with the public. It is no surprise that the human brain display is one of the most fascinating aspects of the event. How many people can say they’ve held a brain before?”

Visitors can tour the state-of-the-art Brain Imaging Suite at the Institute. Experts will be on hand to discuss brain science and mental health issues. Games and interactive exhibits include:

• A distracted-driving simulation that demonstrates the dangers of trying to multitask on the road;
• Activities that test the power of automatic behaviors and how the human brain is able to override these behaviors; and
• Visual and auditory illusions that demonstrate how the brain is organized.

Visitors can also learn about contributing to brain research through the Rockland Sample Initiative. The landmark research program aims to map the brain and better understand how the human mind develops and changes over the course of life.

The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on March 13, 2016, at the Nathan Kline Institute located at 35 Third Avenue in Orangeburg, New York. Refreshments will be served and an RSVP is recommended, as space is limited.

For more information and to reserve your spot, please call (845) 398-2666 or email RocklandSample@nki.rfmh.org.

The Nathan Kline Institute, which opened in 1952 as the Rockland Research Institute, is a research facility operated by the New York State Office of Mental Health and is affiliated with New York University’s Langone Medical Center. Known internationally for its groundbreaking contributions to psychiatric research, the Institute continues to forge new paths in the scientific frontier with current research examining the roots of Alzheimer’s Disease, innovative treatments for serious mental illnesses, and a state-of-the-art imaging program which has become a model for similar programs in the United States and throughout the world.

Nathan Kline, as Director of New York State’s Rockland Research Institute, which was later renamed in his honor, helped pioneer modern medical treatment of psychiatric illnesses and developed some of the first pharmaceutical treatments for depression, schizophrenia, and affective disorders.

For more information on Nathan Kline Institute, the Rockland Sample Initiative, and some of the other free community events scheduled by Nathan Kline Institute, please visit www.rfmh.org/nki and www.rocklandsample.org.