The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, focused on unraveling the mechanisms that drive the human capacity to remember and to learn, is holding two provocative fall symposiums. Mark your calendars:
On Depression: Monday, September 19, 2005
This one-day symposium will bring together scientists, clinicians, patients, policy makers, and members of the health care industry to examine new ways of thinking about depression and its underlying causes. The conference will also explore the possibility that insights gained by neuroscientists who are studying learning and memory mechanisms might lead to better diagnosis, prevention and treatment of depression.
Who: Moderated by Dr. Peter Kramer, author of "Listening to Prozac" and "Against Depression". Speakers include Dr. Charles Nemeroff, Emory University School of Medicine; Dr. Steven Paul, Eli Lilly and Company; Dr. Stephen Foote, National Institute of Mental Health; Keith Dixon, Cigna; and other leading researchers on the neuroscience of depression.
The Future of the Brain: Thursday, December 1, 2005
In conjunction with the opening of MIT's new brain and cognitive sciences complex, the Picower Institute will host some of the world's most eminent neuroscientists and molecular biologists, including five Nobel laureates, who will gather to discuss future developments in brain research. The symposium will also examine the relationship between the human brain and the mind and will look at the possible impact of research about learning and memory on human health.
Who: Speakers include neuroscientists/biologists Dr. Richard Axel, Dr. Sydney Brenner, Dr. Eric Kandel, Dr. Christoph Koch, and Dr. James Watson; Alexander Shulgin ("psychedelic chemist" who invented LSD); author Oliver Sacks; MIT President Susan Hockfield, and many others.
Zack Lynch is the executive director of the 
1. RGB on July 20, 2005 2:08 PM writes...
Zack -
shulgin did not invent LSD, Albert Hofmann did that.
Shulgin invented over 200 other psychedelic compounds.
-rgb
Permalink to Comment2. Bill on July 20, 2005 7:22 PM writes...
Look at your information! Alexander Shulgin did NOT invent LSD. Several dozen other psychedelics, but not that one. That was Alfred Hofmann.
Bill
Permalink to Comment3. another emailer on July 20, 2005 7:23 PM writes...
Just a note - Alexander Shulgin did not invent the compound you named (it
Permalink to Commentwas Albert Hoffman at Sandoz). But Shulgin invented many others.
4. Nola Jacob on July 30, 2005 9:21 AM writes...
Can anyone tell me.... is anyone doing studies linking electrical brain waves (eg. delta,beta) and depression? Am interested as I used to have severe depression. Was constantly wearing my "super sneakers" because of back problems. They seemed to cause excess static electricity to the point I almost broke my fingers when touching any metal. Now I go barefoot for part of every day and don't have any problems anymore and feeling great! Just asking as another person had the same problems with static buildup wearing same brand of sneakers.
QUESTION: Could there be a link between teenage suicide/depression etc. and the now common footwear (sneakers) that kids prefer. Just asking as when I was a kid we only had leather soled shoes.. rubber soles were not common.
IF there is a link it could make a HUGE difference in the lives of a tremendous amount of people.
PS Does the beta, alpha, theta, delta levels go in a circle?... eg. hit the top of beta and you are at the bottom of delta?
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