Take control of your own brain health through an immersive comedy theatre performance at Leeds Beckett University

‘Intergenerational Neurological Education and Prevention Trial’ (INEPT) is a short, participatory performance using social media, theatre, comedy, music, and immersive entertainment. It presents a mock brain health educational experience, showing some of the great – and not so great – ways that humans can support their own brain health.

The free event forms part of a UK-wide roadshow funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK. Alongside Leeds, the roadshow will visit locations in Surrey, Nottingham, Birmingham and Newcastle.

The Leeds event takes place at the Leeds School of Arts Theatre at Leeds Beckett University’s city campus, on Thursday 23 November, from 15.00-16.00, as part of the University’s Festival of Research and Knowledge Exchange. It has been created by Dr Laura Booi, Senior Research Fellow in Brain Health at Leeds Beckett with award-winning immersive theatre artist Kit Green, and Creative Methods Researcher and Professor of Behavioural Science, Victoria Tischler from the University of Surrey.

Dr Booi said: “INEPT responds to the mass of information available about brain health and dementia that is of varying quality and can be complex or misleading. We want to bring brain health to the public, using our fun and interactive methods, to address a major gap in most mainstream brain health research.

“We know that early detection and management of risk factors is the best way to prevent the brain diseases that cause clinical dementia - yet there is a stark knowledge gap around brain health in young adults before mid-life, between the ages of 18 and 39 years.

“Instead of focusing solely on reducing risk and fears around developing a brain disease in later life, we need to promote brain health for everyone, making optimal brain health a goal to aspire to. You should care about your brain - it’s the only one you’re going to get. Learn how to take care of it!”