scholarly journals From the Search for a Molecular Code of Memory to the Role of Neurotransmitters: A Historical Perspective

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 151-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Chapouthier

The history of the neurochemistry of mnesic processes can be divided into two main periods: the first (1946-1978) was inspired by the results of molecular genetics, providing evidence for storage of hereditary information in the DNA of genes. Therefore, the chemical bases for memory were investigated in the macromolecules of the brain. Such attempts were relatively unsuccessful, which led to a second period (starting in 1978) with the research emphasizing, in a less ambitious way, the role of the molecular correlates of mnesic processes, in particular in the main transmitter systems of the brain.

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amedeo Giorgi

Abstract Whenever one reads internal histories of psychology what is covered is the establishment of a lab by Wundt in 1879 as the initiating act and then the breakaway movements of the 20th Century are discussed: Behaviorism, Gestalt Theory, Psychoanalysis, and most recently the Cognitive revival. However, Aron Gurwitsch described a perspective noted by Cassirer and first developed by Malebranche, which dates the founding of psychology at the same time as that of physics in the 17th Century. This external perspective shows the dependency of psychology upon the concepts, methods and procedures of physics and the natural sciences in general up until the present time. Gurwitsch argues that this approach has blocked the growth of psychology and has assured its status as a minor science. He argued that the everyday Lifeworld achievements of subjectivity are the true subject matter of psychology and that a phenomenological approach to subjectivity could give psychology the authenticity it has been forever seeking but never finding as a naturalistic science. Some clarifying thoughts concerning this phenomenologically grounded psychology are offered, especially the role of desire. The assumption of an external perspective toward the history of psychology fostered the insights about psychology’s scientific role.


Author(s):  
Katalin Gosztonyi

History of mathematics is rarely used in Hungarian mathematics education, and even more rarely goes beyond anecdotic mentions of history. In this paper I will argue that despite of this phenomenon, a historical perspective on mathematics, in a more general way, plays a crucial role in a specific Hungarian tradition of mathematics education, called felfedeztető matematikaoktatás (“teaching mathematics by guided discovery”). I will revisit the epistemological background of this approach, analyse the role of history in this view on the nature of mathematics and its teaching, and illustrate the analysis by some examples from written sources and nowadays teaching practice. Classification: A30, D20, D40. Keywords: History of mathematics, history in mathematics education, guided discovery in mathematics education.


1994 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid H. Rima

The popular view among many contemporary economists is that our predecessors were literate but not numerate. Their myopia is curious to those who have the benefit of greater historical perspective. Many early practitioners of political economy can be credited with recognizing that, by their very nature, the problems in which they were interested required them to measure, quantify and enumerate. From the seventeenth century onwards, inquiring minds had already learned to distrust information and ideas that derived from the then traditional qualitative approach to science, which described the sensations associated with objects and events. William Petty's Political Arithmetic is a case in point; it aimed not simply to record and describe reality in terms of


Neurosurgery ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 74 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S50-S59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin A. Rubin ◽  
Andrew Brunswick ◽  
Howard Riina ◽  
Douglas Kondziolka

Abstract Arteriovenous malformations of the brain are a considerable source of morbidity and mortality for patients who harbor them. Although our understanding of this disease has improved, it remains in evolution. Advances in our ability to treat these malformations and the modes by which we address them have also improved substantially. However, the variety of patient clinical and disease scenarios often leads us into challenging and complex management algorithms as we balance the risks of treatment against the natural history of the disease. The goal of this article is to provide a focused review of the natural history of cerebral arteriovenous malformations, to examine the role of stereotactic radiosurgery, to discuss the role of endovascular therapy as it relates to stereotactic radiosurgery, and to look toward future advances.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 696-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morenikeji Buraimoh ◽  
Azam Basheer ◽  
Kevin Taliaferro ◽  
Jonathan H. Shaw ◽  
Sameah Haider ◽  
...  

Every day, spine surgeons call for instruments named after surgical pioneers. Few know the designers or the histories behind their instruments. In this paper the authors provide a historical perspective on the Penfield dissector, Leksell rongeur, Hibbs retractor, Woodson elevator, Kerrison rongeur, McCulloch retractor, Caspar pin retractor system, and Cloward handheld retractor, and a biographical review of their inventors. Historical data were obtained by searching the HathiTrust Digital Library, PubMed, Google Scholar, Google Books, and Google, and personal communications with relatives, colleagues, and foundations of the surgeon-designers. The authors found that the Penfield dissectors filled a need for delicate tools for manipulating the brain and that the Leksell rongeur increased surgical efficiency during war-related laminectomies. Hibbs’ retractor facilitated his spine fusion technique. Woodson was both a dentist and a physician whose instrument was adopted by spine surgeons. Kerrison rongeurs were developed in otology to decompress bone near the facial nerve. The McCulloch, Caspar, and Cloward retractors helped improve exposure during the emergence of new techniques, i.e., microdiscectomy and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. The histories behind these eponymous instruments remind us that innovation sometimes begins in other specialties and demonstrate the role of innovation in improving patient care.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 684-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
GREIG MORDUE

New perspective is provided on a critical period in the development of the Canadian automotive industry. In the 1980s, five foreign manufacturers built new vehicle assembly operations in Canada, effectively transforming that country’s automotive industry. Drawing from a combination of interviews with key actors and a review of archives, this case study makes several contributions. First, gaps are closed in the economic history of one of Canada’s most important industries. Second, the case demonstrates the capacity of using historical perspective to extend an existing theory to a new area of inquiry. In this case, Multiple Streams Theory is employed to explain the process of inward FDI attraction. This includes a description of the role of policy entrepreneurs and their capacity to create and exploit opportunities. Third, the case demonstrates the continuing relevance of integrating historical perspective to contemporary issues in business, management, and public policy.


1992 ◽  
Vol 160 (3) ◽  
pp. 390-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilio Sacchetti ◽  
Alessandro Calzeroni ◽  
Antonio Vita ◽  
Andrea Terzi ◽  
Franco Pollastro ◽  
...  

Although the excess of schizophrenic births in the winter and early spring has been replicated and some non-conclusive work supports the same seasonal birth trend in patients with major affective disorders, the aetiopathogenetic foundations of this phenomenon remain uncertain. The primary role of perinatal seasonal factors that predispose to the development of schizophrenia via induction of brain damage has been invoked, as has a tendency for patients to conceive during the spring and early summer. In order to test these two hypotheses, cerebral ventricular size and cortical atrophy in 206 schizophrenics and 107 patients with major affective disorders were assessed by CT and analysed in relation to month of birth. Compared with schizophrenics born during the remainder of the year, those born between December and April, particularly in cases lacking a family history of schizophrenia, showed increased chances for ventricular enlargement, but not for cortical atrophy. No association between season of birth and central or cortical atrophy was found for patients with major affective disorders. This suggests that the brain-damaging effect played by perinatal seasonal factors has both a disease and an anatomical specificity.


2007 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-44
Author(s):  
John Lwanda

In this personal short historical perspective I reflect on aspects of the medical history of Malawi, formerly Nyasaland, highlighting the role of Scotland and its people in the development of the Malawi medical services in both the colonial as well as the postcolonial period which began in 1964. The paper, after discussing the history of medical training in Malawi and current constraints and challenges, goes on to make some suggestions - based on historical lessons - about future role of Scottish involvement in Malawi's medical development. It would be unfortunate if, in a rush to ‘help or do something’ the mistakes of the past are repeated.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-126
Author(s):  
Yahya Yahya

The role of Arabic-Indonesian community in Islamic da 'wah in Indonesia is quite important. However, there are few studies of their role that have been conducted It is for this reason that the writer would like to observe the role and the existence of this community from the social-historical perspective. There are two theories in understanding their relationship with indigenous people. The first is identical theory which perceives that historically Islam is identical with Arab and therefore cannot be separated from Arabic people. The second theory is that the arrival and the development of Arabic community in Indonesia, on the perspective of anthropological history, is closely related to the history of conversion to Islam and the development of Islam in society. The writer tries to observe their social life and their active role in the development of Indonesian society.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 587-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke W. Hyde

AbstractThe emerging field of neurogenetics seeks to model the complex pathways from gene to brain to behavior. This field has focused on imaging genetics techniques that examine how variability in common genetic polymorphisms predict differences in brain structure and function. These studies are informed by other complimentary techniques (e.g., animal models and multimodal imaging) and have recently begun to incorporate the environment through examination of Imaging Gene × Environment interactions. Though neurogenetics has the potential to inform our understanding of the development of psychopathology, there has been little integration between principles of neurogenetics and developmental psychopathology. The paper describes a neurogenetics and Imaging Gene × Environment approach and how these approaches have been usefully applied to the study of psychopathology. Six tenets of developmental psychopathology (the structure of phenotypes, the importance of exploring mechanisms, the conditional nature of risk, the complexity of multilevel pathways, the role of development, and the importance of who is studied) are identified, and how these principles can further neurogenetics applications to understanding the development of psychopathology is discussed. A major issue of this piece is how neurogenetics and current imaging and molecular genetics approaches can be incorporated into developmental psychopathology perspectives with a goal of providing models for better understanding pathways from among genes, environments, the brain, and behavior.


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