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Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 11:16:48 -0400
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From: Michael Kane <mjkane@uncg.edu>
Subject: thevillage: Obituary for Patricia Goldman-Rakic
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 From the International Brain Research Organization website:

Eminent neuroscientist Patricia Goldman-Rakic, Professor of Neuroscience,=20
Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychology, Yale University School of Medicine,=20
died on 31 July 2003 at the age of 66. She died shortly after being=20
accidentally struck by a vehicle.

IBRO Secretary-General Albert Aguayo, shocked by the news, said of=20
Professor Goldman-Rakic: "World neuroscience has lost one of its best=20
leaders. She did so much and would have accomplished so much more."

Yale University released the following obituary:

In Memoriam: Patricia Goldman-Rakic, Preeminent Yale Neuroscientist who=20
Made Groundbreaking Discoveries in Working Memory and Explored the Brain=92s=
=20
Frontal Lobe

New Haven, Conn.=97World-renowned neuroscientist Patricia S. Goldman-Rakic,=
=20
professor of neuroscience, neurology, psychiatry and psychology at Yale=20
University School of Medicine, died on July 31 at age 66.

=93Pat Goldman-Rakic was one of the most distinguished neuroscientists of=
 her=20
generation,=94 said Yale President Richard C. Levin. =93We grieve her tragic=
=20
loss in the knowledge that her important contributions to science will live=
=20
on.=94

Considered a pioneer in the area of memory function, Goldman-Rakic=92s=20
research also paved the way for scientists to understand the=20
neurobiological basis of normal behavior and of diseases such as=20
schizophrenia, Alzheimer=92s, Parkinson=92s, and attention=20
deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Goldman-Rakic brought a unique=20
multidisciplinary approach to the study of the frontal lobe, a region of=20
the brain once viewed as inaccessible to rigorous scientific analysis. She=
=20
was the first to discover and describe the exquisite order and structure of=
=20
this brain region, which is responsible for the highest level of cognitive=
=20
functions.

Dr. Herbert Pardes, President and CEO of New York Presbyterian Hospital and=
=20
former Dean of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons said,=
=20
=93Pat Goldman-Rakic was one of the most outstanding neuroscientists. She=20
linked important issues in behavior and clinical psychiatry to basic=20
science. She was truly a pioneer and a leader of our time.=94

Paul Greengard, professor of Rockefeller University and Nobel Laureate in=20
Physiology and Medicine said, =93Patricia Goldman-Rakic raised the quality=
 of=20
multidisciplinary brain research to a new level. She utilized biochemical,=
=20
electrophysiological, pharmacological, anatomical and behavioral techniques=
=20
to elucidate much of what we know today about memory, behavior and the=20
actions of anti-schizophrenic drugs. Her work has provided a foundation for=
=20
understanding schizophrenia and other mental disorders.=94

Among her seminal discoveries was the demonstration that cells in the=20
prefrontal cortex are dedicated to specific memory tasks. Goldman-Rakic=92s=
=20
recent research at Yale focused on the role of signaling molecules and=20
their involvement in a number of brain disorders and cognitive deficits. In=
=20
the 1970=92s, she found that the loss of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex=
=20
produced profound working memory deficits. This study changed the view of=20
neuropsychiatry, and helped provide a rational basis for understanding the=
=20
symptoms of mental illness and the effects of psychoactive medications.=20
More recently, she discovered and sought to understand how a brief period=20
of amphetamine abuse in early adolescence or early adulthood can produce=20
long-lasting cognitive deficits.

Her studies of dopamine receptors in the brain have provided important=20
insights into potential treatments for schizophrenia and Parkinson=92s=20
disease. For example, she and her colleagues identified the protein=20
Calcyon, which may be a new target for drug development to improve the=20
signaling in cells that are otherwise desensitized to dopamine. This is=20
particularly important because many of the current drugs for these=20
disorders have negative side effects after long-term use.

=93The world of neuroscience has lost a formidable ally in the search for a=
=20
deeper understanding of the human brain,=94 said Susan Hockfield, Provost of=
=20
Yale University and the William Edward Gilbert Professor of Neurobiology.=20
Not only was she a dedicated and brilliant researcher, she was also a great=
=20
and beloved mentor to many junior researchers. Her discoveries and insights=
=20
into brain function have forever changed our understanding of the mind and=
=20
the brain.=94

A native of Salem, Massachusetts, Goldman-Rakic, received a bachelor=92s=20
degree cum laude from Vassar College in 1959 and a Ph.D. from the=20
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1963. She was a member of=20
the Yale faculty since 1979 and before that, conducted research at UCLA,=20
NYU, MIT and the National Institutes of Health.

The author and collaborator on hundreds of scientific papers, Goldman-Rakic=
=20
won many awards and honors for her work. She was elected to the National=20
Academy of Sciences in 1990 and was President of the Society for=20
Neuroscience from 1989-90. She was a member of the American Academy of Arts=
=20
and Sciences and the Institute of Medicine and she was a fellow of The=20
American Psychological Association.

Her many awards and honors include the Karl Lashley Award from the American=
=20
Philosophical Society; the Leiber Award from the National Alliance for=20
Research on Schizophrenia and Depression; Distinguished Scientific=20
Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association; a Merit=20
Award from the National Institute of Mental Health; the Fyssen Foundation=20
Prize in Neuroscience; and the Alden Spencer Award from Columbia=20
University. She received honorary degrees from the University of Utrecht,=20
Netherlands, and the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. She founded the=20
journal Cerebral Cortex, and served on editorial boards for the journals=20
Science, Advances in Neuroscience, Behavioral Brain Research, Concepts in=20
Neuroscience, Biological Psychiatry and many others. She also held numerous=
=20
advisory positions, including at the NIH, the NIMH, the Weitzman Institute,=
=20
Israel, and other institutions. She was an invited lecturer at=20
universities, research centers, conferences and symposia around the world.

Goldman-Rakic is survived by her husband, Pasko Rakic, M.D., a fellow=20
distinguished neuroscientist at Yale and a sister, Ruth Rappaport, also a=20
scientist. She was predeceased by a sister, Linda Shoer.


**********************************************
Michael J. Kane
Department of Psychology
P.O. Box 26170
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170

Voice: 336-256-1022
Fax: 336-334-5066
Web: http://www.uncg.edu/~mjkane/HomePage.html


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Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html>
 From the International Brain Research Organization website:<br><br>
Eminent neuroscientist Patricia Goldman-Rakic, Professor of Neuroscience,
Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychology, Yale University School of Medicine,
died on 31 July 2003 at the age of 66. She died shortly after being
accidentally struck by a vehicle.<br><br>
IBRO Secretary-General Albert Aguayo, shocked by the news, said of
Professor Goldman-Rakic: &quot;World neuroscience has lost one of its
best leaders. She did so much and would have accomplished so much
more.&quot; <br><br>
Yale University released the following obituary:<br><br>
<i>In Memoriam: Patricia Goldman-Rakic, Preeminent Yale Neuroscientist
who Made Groundbreaking Discoveries in Working Memory and Explored the
Brain=92s Frontal Lobe<br><br>
New Haven, Conn.=97World-renowned neuroscientist Patricia S. Goldman-Rakic,
professor of neuroscience, neurology, psychiatry and psychology at Yale
University School of Medicine, died on July 31 at age 66.<br><br>
=93Pat Goldman-Rakic was one of the most distinguished neuroscientists of
her generation,=94 said Yale President Richard C. Levin. =93We grieve her
tragic loss in the knowledge that her important contributions to science
will live on.=94<br><br>
Considered a pioneer in the area of memory function, Goldman-Rakic=92s
research also paved the way for scientists to understand the
neurobiological basis of normal behavior and of diseases such as
schizophrenia, Alzheimer=92s, Parkinson=92s, and attention
deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Goldman-Rakic brought a unique
multidisciplinary approach to the study of the frontal lobe, a region of
the brain once viewed as inaccessible to rigorous scientific analysis.
She was the first to discover and describe the exquisite order and
structure of this brain region, which is responsible for the highest
level of cognitive functions.<br><br>
Dr. Herbert Pardes, President and CEO of New York Presbyterian Hospital
and former Dean of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
said, =93Pat Goldman-Rakic was one of the most outstanding neuroscientists.
She linked important issues in behavior and clinical psychiatry to basic
science. She was truly a pioneer and a leader of our time.=94<br><br>
Paul Greengard, professor of Rockefeller University and Nobel Laureate in
Physiology and Medicine said, =93Patricia Goldman-Rakic raised the quality
of multidisciplinary brain research to a new level. She utilized
biochemical, electrophysiological, pharmacological, anatomical and
behavioral techniques to elucidate much of what we know today about
memory, behavior and the actions of anti-schizophrenic drugs. Her work
has provided a foundation for understanding schizophrenia and other
mental disorders.=94<br><br>
Among her seminal discoveries was the demonstration that cells in the
prefrontal cortex are dedicated to specific memory tasks. Goldman-Rakic=92s
recent research at Yale focused on the role of signaling molecules and
their involvement in a number of brain disorders and cognitive deficits.
In the 1970=92s, she found that the loss of dopamine in the prefrontal
cortex produced profound working memory deficits. This study changed the
view of neuropsychiatry, and helped provide a rational basis for
understanding the symptoms of mental illness and the effects of
psychoactive medications. More recently, she discovered and sought to
understand how a brief period of amphetamine abuse in early adolescence
or early adulthood can produce long-lasting cognitive deficits.<br><br>
Her studies of dopamine receptors in the brain have provided important
insights into potential treatments for schizophrenia and Parkinson=92s
disease. For example, she and her colleagues identified the protein
Calcyon, which may be a new target for drug development to improve the
signaling in cells that are otherwise desensitized to dopamine. This is
particularly important because many of the current drugs for these
disorders have negative side effects after long-term use. <br><br>
=93The world of neuroscience has lost a formidable ally in the search for a
deeper understanding of the human brain,=94 said Susan Hockfield, Provost
of Yale University and the William Edward Gilbert Professor of
Neurobiology. Not only was she a dedicated and brilliant researcher, she
was also a great and beloved mentor to many junior researchers. Her
discoveries and insights into brain function have forever changed our
understanding of the mind and the brain.=94 <br><br>
A native of Salem, Massachusetts, Goldman-Rakic, received a bachelor=92s
degree cum laude from Vassar College in 1959 and a Ph.D. from the
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1963. She was a member of
the Yale faculty since 1979 and before that, conducted research at UCLA,
NYU, MIT and the National Institutes of Health.<br><br>
The author and collaborator on hundreds of scientific papers,
Goldman-Rakic won many awards and honors for her work. She was elected to
the National Academy of Sciences in 1990 and was President of the Society
for Neuroscience from 1989-90. She was a member of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences and the Institute of Medicine and she was a fellow
of The American Psychological Association.<br><br>
Her many awards and honors include the Karl Lashley Award from the
American Philosophical Society; the Leiber Award from the National
Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression; Distinguished
Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological
Association; a Merit Award from the National Institute of Mental Health;
the Fyssen Foundation Prize in Neuroscience; and the Alden Spencer Award
from Columbia University. She received honorary degrees from the
University of Utrecht, Netherlands, and the University of St. Andrews,
Scotland. She founded the journal Cerebral Cortex, and served on
editorial boards for the journals Science, Advances in Neuroscience,
Behavioral Brain Research, Concepts in Neuroscience, Biological
Psychiatry and many others. She also held numerous advisory positions,
including at the NIH, the NIMH, the Weitzman Institute, Israel, and other
institutions. She was an invited lecturer at universities, research
centers, conferences and symposia around the world. <br><br>
Goldman-Rakic is survived by her husband, Pasko Rakic, M.D., a fellow
distinguished neuroscientist at Yale and a sister, Ruth Rappaport, also a
scientist. She was predeceased by a sister, Linda Shoer.<br><br>
<br>
</i><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
**********************************************<br>
Michael J. Kane<br>
Department of Psychology<br>
P.O. Box 26170<br>
University of North Carolina at Greensboro<br>
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170<br><br>
Voice: 336-256-1022<br>
Fax: 336-334-5066<br>
Web:
<a href=3D"http://www.uncg.edu/~mjkane/HomePage.html"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.uncg.edu/~mjkane/HomePage.html<br><br>
<br>
</a></html>

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