Edinburgh school pupils take part in My Amazing Brain

Primary pupils from Edinburgh take part in My Amazing Brain, a Scotland-wide initiative aimed at ensuring their brains stay healthy throughout life. 

The Scottish Government-backed scheme, led by the Brain Health Scotland initiative, and supported by the charity Alzheimer Scotland, will encourage children to take steps that minimise the risk of diseases that can lead to dementia. 

The campaign’s key message is that it is never too early for people to start thinking about keeping their brains healthy.

Backing the campaign is professional rock climber Dave MacLeod, who attended a launch event with pupils at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh on Monday.

“Brain health was once associated with older people, but we now know the value of raising awareness much earlier,” says Highlands-based Dave, who has a keen interest in sports science.

“Good sleep, nutrition, mental agility and protection from even mild injury all make a huge difference – whatever age we are.”

Around 100 children from three Edinburgh primary schools – Tollcross, Bruntsfield and Royal Mile – attended the campaign launch on Monday morning.

Pupils learned fun facts about brain health, took part in hands-on activities and got a close-up look at a real-life brain. They also had a sneak preview of the campaign’s video animations.

A range of free brain health teaching resources – aimed at 8-12 year olds – is now available to every school in the country.

The materials, which are aligned with the Curriculum for Excellence, can also be used by club leaders outside of school as well as parents.

Having already attracted interest from other countries, the Brain Health Scotland team hopes the initiative can be extended throughout the UK and overseas.

“Research shows that up to 40 per cent of dementia cases are linked to factors we can influence, such as obesity, physical activity and loneliness,” says programme coordinator Joanna Crispell.

“This is about inspiring young people to find out what they can do to keep their brains in peak condition – and helping them set up good habits early in life.”