January 2005

The mysteries of the emotions: The Good, Bad, and the Learned

Premier session of imaging discussion group meeting set for February 1, 2005

Today's neuroscientists, using sophisticated imaging techniques, are uncovering the ways in which our emotions are linked to the physical wiring and physiological functioning of the brain. What do the latest studies say about the brain's reaction to fear and its ability to get rid of unwanted emotional memories? How can our minds control our emotions, and what role do the hippocampus and amygdala play in anxiety and depression?

To present the latest findings in this field and to discuss their implications, the New York Academy of Sciences is presenting a discussion, "Imaging Emotions: The Good, the Bad, and the Learned" on February 1 at 5 p.m featuring talks by four leading investigators from the New York area. This is the inaugural meeting of the Academy's new Imaging Discussion Group, the most recent addition to the Academy's Frontiers of Science Program.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 1 at 5 p.m.

WHERE: New York Academy of Sciences, 2 East 63rd Street

WHO: Joseph LeDoux, New York University, "Gaining and Losing Fear."
Nim Tottenham, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, "Using Development to Probe Perceptual and Neural Processes of Emotions."
Kevin Ochsner, Columbia University, "How Thinking Controls Feeling: A Social Cognitive Neuroscience Approach."
Rene Hen, Columbia University, "Influence of Postnatal Hippocampal Development and Neurogenesis on Anxiety and Depression."

For further information, visit the meetings/conferences section of the nyas.org web site.

Founded in 1817, the New York Academy of Science is an independent nonprofit organization of more than 22,000 members worldwide dedicated to serving science, technology, and society