Panel of Nobel laureates to discuss 50 years of brain research at the NIH: Christopher Reeve to address patients' perspective

The National Institutes of Health is celebrating 50 years of achievement in brain research with a two-day scientific symposium that will bring together the country's leaders in neuroscience and neurology. While the entire symposium is open to the media, there are two sessions that may be of particular interest.

In one session, Christopher Reeve will discuss the contribution of brain research toward helping him and other patients with spinal cord injuries. In the other session, four Nobel Prize winning neuroscientists will have a panel discussion of how past and current research has led to a better understanding of the brain and how this will lead to treatments and cures for neurological diseases.

The symposium, cosponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is drawing top researchers, clinicians, and members of patient advocacy groups from across the country. The full program is available at http://www.50brain.org

Session One: Tuesday October 9, 2001, 3:45 p.m.
Christopher Reeve "My View" A Patient's Perspective

Session Two: Wednesday October 10, 2001, 1 p.m.
Panel of Four Nobel Laureates in the Neurosciences

Paul Greengard, Ph.D. 2000 Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine for his discovery of the mechanism for synaptic transmission in the central nervous system Eric Kandel, M.D. 2000 Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine for his demonstration of the way nerve cells alter their responsiveness to chemical signals to produce a coordinated change in behavior Stanley Prusiner, M.D. 1997 Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine for his discovery of the link of prions (protein particles in the brain) to several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer�s and mad cow disease Torsten Wiesel, M.D. 1981 Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine along with David H. Hubel for discovering the process underlying the origin of visual perception

WHERE: Natcher Conference Center, NIH Campus Bethesda, Maryland