Join Anne Churchland and Rob Martienssen from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in a lively exploration of the science of addiction, followed by a screening of Danny Boyle’s classic Trainspotting. Anne and Rob will discuss recent research that has begun to reveal how the use and abuse of drugs can sometimes lead to circuit-level and even epigenetic changes in the brain. Changes in the brain take place both in neural circuits that are directly related to the brain’s ability to experience pleasure, and also in areas that play a role in complex cognitive function.
Adapted from Irvine Welsh’s scabrous novel, this wildly entertaining film from the director of Slumdog Millionaire,Shallow Grave, and 28 Days Later, is widely considered to be one of the best movies ever made about drugs. Ewan McGregor stars as Renton, an addict deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, as he tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends. Welsh’s magnificent universe of lost souls, tricksters, and gangsters is brought to life by a spectacular supporting cast, including Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire), Jonny Lee Miller (NT Live’s Frankenstein, Showtime’s Dexter), and Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty, and ABC’s Once Upon a Time). (UK, 1996, 94 min., color, 35mm)
