The Story Of Neuroscience: A Short Version

The history of neuroscience began many, many years ago. In the 5th century BC, Alcmaeon of Croton dissected an animal when he discovered the optic nerve. His findings led him to invent a theory that thoughts and feelings reside in the brain. To answer this rather modern theory, Aristotle stuck to the old argument that human intellectual processes take place in the heart. Aristotle (and many of those who lived at the same time) believed that the brain was responsible for cooling the blood as the heart overheated.

Later, Hippocrates developed the humoral theory. He suggested that human physical health and illness were based on the balance of our four bodily fluids. According to Hippocrates, an imbalance in the proportions of these fluids would lead to illness or personality changes. The Greek physician and philosopher Galen disagreed with the humoral theory. He argued that the brain was responsible for processing emotions and memories.

Between 1630 and 1650, Rene Descartes developed the mechanistic theory. He also wrote about the duality between body and soul, where the brain would be responsible for our behavior. Not only that, but he believed that the epiphysis was the communication link between the two dimensions. His ideas placed him at the forefront of the debate about the mind and brain, which still plagues neuroscientists to this day.

Neuroscience in the 19th century

Localizationism

In 1805, Gall published an article on phrenology. He argued that there is a specific area in the brain for each mental process. This theory of localizationism led researchers to look at mental processes even closer to the brain. During the research, Brodmann explained 52 areas of the brain, as well as their associated processes.

Researchers also believed that the development of certain skills and attributes was related to an increased size in the corresponding brain area. This was the beginning of the concept that the brain is a dynamic organ that can adapt its physical structure to environmental needs, while still providing enough space for the most important skills.

All of these theories led scientists to  believe that they could recognize people’s intellectual and moral abilities by using the size and shape of their skulls. Of course, these researchers did not have access to the neuroimaging technology we have today.

Connectivism

In 1861, Pierre Paul Broca taught at the Society of Anthropology of Paris about a patient who had injured his head. The patient lost the ability to speak, but could still understand what people were saying. This was the first evidence the research community had that there was a relationship between the brain and language. The specific area of ​​the brain was later called the center of Broca.

In 1874, Carl Wernicke made a similar discovery. He had patients who could speak but did not understand. This first to a new perspective called connectivism. This theory argued that only the most basic functions are limited to specific areas of the brain. More complex functions are therefore a result of the interaction between different areas.

In 1885, Hermann Ebbinghaus wrote the first publications on memory. In his essays, he described the evaluation methods that researchers still use to this day. Shortly afterwards, researchers began using the term “neuron” or “nerve cell”, thanks to the work of Santiago Ramón de Cajal in 1891.

The history of neuroscience in the 20th century

At the beginning of the 20th century, two world wars influenced the development of neuroscience. World War I left many dead, but also many wounded.

There were thousands of patients with neurological damage, which increased the need for neurological rehabilitation exponentially. It was a strong push for more research on the brain and neurological problems. During World War II, neuroscience was solidified as a discipline. Important neuroscientists such as Alexander Romanovich Luria also developed important neurophysiological interventions during this time.

In 1962, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launched the organization known as the Neuroscience Research Program . The aim of the program was to connect researchers who worked in behavior and neurology from universities around the world. They had weekly meetings, conferences and debates that highlighted various university education programs.

From this collaboration emerged the Society for Neuroscience , which was founded in Washington in 1969.  This is still the largest scientific community in the world, but about 37,000 members. It is a global reference for the development of neuroscience, and they hold an annual meeting that usually attracts more than 30,000 participants.

Thanks to the efforts of these organizations and the successful interdisciplinary collaboration that took place, the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council published a report in 1990, entitled ” Decade of the Brain: Answers Through Scientific Research “. The report identified fourteen categories of under-examined neurological disorders, which led to a “boom” in neurological research.

The 21st Century and the Future History of Neuroscience

In 2002, researchers launched the Blue Brain project. With this, they hoped to create a simulation of a mammal’s brain on a molecular level, so that they could study the structure. Many countries around the world joined this exciting project.

Then, in 2013, Barack Obama announced the start of a project called BRAIN. This proposal is on the same level as the Human Genome Project . The goal is to develop a detailed and dynamic map of the human brain. The United States initially invested $110 million in the initiative. This is a great new challenge for the United States, and also the tool they hope to lead future brain research with.

However, Europe has a small advantage over the United States in this specific area. At the same time as Obama announced the BRAIN project, Europe implemented an initiative called HUMAN BRAIN. They planned to invest over 1 trillion Euros in the project. The goal was to make significant progress in our understanding of the human brain over the next ten years.

To conclude, the history of neuroscience is very fascinating. Scientists have taken incredible strides over the years, and our understanding of the human brain is more sophisticated than ever. Nevertheless, it does not end here, because increased interest and investment in research on the human brain means that there are many incredible discoveries that have not yet happened.