FROM ALKMEON TO RITA LEVI-MONTALCINI, THE EVOLUTION … · 8/12/2005 · Rita Levi-Montalcini...
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layout&design e.d. guillot NCE 050812 Neuroscience Center of Excellence School of Medicine 4:00 p.m. Tuesday June 12, 2012 8th Floor Neuroscience Center of Excellence Conference Room more info [email protected] in Neuroscience General Director, European Brain Research Institute Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation Rome, Italy C hancellor’s A ward L ecture The ancient legendary figure of Alkmeon, the Master of Kroton Medical School (VI-V century BC) is sll wrapped in the mystery, although his genius is evident from fragments of his work reported by Aristotele, Plato, Theophrastus, etc. Alkmeon is now considered the Father of Neuroscience and Experimental Medicine (Niscò et al., 1989, Fidia Research Found., Neuroscience Award Lectures, vol. 3, Raven Press. NY, pp. 1-7). He was the first to start a new revoluonary approach to understand through systemac autopsy the anatomy and physiology of human body single organs. In his masterpiece “The Principate of the Brain”, Alkmeon considered the brain as the site of motor, psychic life and the “temple” of the soul. In parcular, following his experimental methodology he was able to demonstrate sensory and cranial nerves pathways from periphery to the spinal cord and through the lamina cribrosa of the ethmoid (“poroi”) to the brain. In parcular, he demonstrates visual, acousc, olfactory and taste pathways from these sensory organs to the brain. Almost 2,500 years aſter Alkmeon, there was the revoluonary discovery by Rita Levi-Montalcini of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) (Levi-Montalcini R. and Hamburger V.; J. Exp. 300:116, 321-361, 1951). NGF was shown to be essenal for neuronal survival and proliferaon as well as for cell differenaon, neurite outgrowth and synapc transmission and plascity. Thus NGF can be considered the principle (αρχή) of nervous life and its lack produces apoptosis and neurodegeneraon. This represents the basis for a potenal therapeuc treatment with NGF of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerave diseases. FROM ALKMEON TO RITA LEVI-MONTALCINI, THE EVOLUTION OF NEUROSCIENCE PROF. GIUSEPPE NISTICO’ FROM ALKMEON TO RITA LEVI-MONTALCINI, THE EVOLUTION OF NEUROSCIENCE PROF. GIUSEPPE NISTICO’
Transcript of FROM ALKMEON TO RITA LEVI-MONTALCINI, THE EVOLUTION … · 8/12/2005 · Rita Levi-Montalcini...
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0812
Neuroscience Center of ExcellenceSchool of Medicine
4:00 p.m.Tuesday
June 12, 2012
8th FloorNeuroscience Center
of ExcellenceConference Room
more info [email protected]
in Neuroscience
General Director,European
Brain Research InstituteRita Levi-Montalcini Foundation
Rome, Italy
Chancellor’s Award Lecture
The ancient legendary figure of Alkmeon, the Master of Kroton Medical School (VI-V century BC) is still wrapped in the mystery, although his genius is evident from fragments of his work reported by Aristotele, Plato, Theophrastus, etc. Alkmeon is now considered the Father of Neuroscience and Experimental Medicine (Nisticò et al., 1989, Fidia Research Found., Neuroscience Award Lectures, vol. 3, Raven Press. NY, pp. 1-7). He was the first to start a new revolutionary approach to understand through systematic autopsy the anatomy and physiology of human body single organs. In his masterpiece “The Principate of the Brain”, Alkmeon considered the brain as the site of motor, psychic life and the “temple” of the soul. In particular, following his experimental methodology he was able to demonstrate sensory and cranial nerves pathways from periphery to the spinal cord and through the lamina cribrosa of the ethmoid (“poroi”) to the brain. In particular, he demonstrates visual, acoustic, olfactory and taste pathways from these sensory organs to the brain. Almost 2,500 years after Alkmeon, there was the revolutionary discovery by Rita Levi-Montalcini of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) (Levi-Montalcini R. and Hamburger V.; J. Exp. 300:116, 321-361, 1951). NGF was shown to be essential for neuronal survival and proliferation as well as for cell differentiation, neurite outgrowth and synaptic transmission and plasticity. Thus NGF can be considered the principle (αρχή) of nervous life and its lack produces apoptosis and neurodegeneration. This represents the basis for a potential therapeutic treatment with NGF of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
FROM ALKMEON TO RITA LEVI-MONTALCINI,THE EVOLUTION OF NEUROSCIENCE
PROF. GIUSEPPE NISTICO’
FROM ALKMEON TO RITA LEVI-MONTALCINI,THE EVOLUTION OF NEUROSCIENCE
PROF. GIUSEPPE NISTICO’
