Ivan Izquierdo
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ivan Antonio Izquierdo is a renowned Argentine Brazilian
scientist and a pioneer in the study of the neurobiology of learning and memory
. Born in 1937 in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, Izquierdo has graduated in Medicine (1961) and completed his Ph.D. in Pharmacology (1962), both in the University of Buenos Aires
(UBA). For nearly a decade, Izquierdo taught at National University of Cordoba (UNC), in Argentina, but, due to a number of reasons, both political (the Argentinian dictatorship) and personal (his wife, Ivone, is Brazilian), he moved to Brazil
in the beginning of the seventies, and has lived in Porto Alegre
since 1978. For more than 20 years, he has worked in the "Center of Memory" of the Biochemistry Department of the Health Basic Sciences Institute (ICBS) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
(UFRGS), where he has had an enormous influence on young scientists: he has trained 42 Ph.D. students, most of whom hold academic research positions in universities in Brazil and elsewhere. Recently, he moved to the Pontificial Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) where he continues with his research.
Ivan Izquierdo has made several key contributions to the understanding of the cellular basis of brain processes underlying memory storage and retrieval
. His research work is focused in the biological mechanisms of memory processes, employing multiple experimental approaches that range from behavioral psychobiology to neurochemistry
, pharmacology
, neurophysiology
and experimental neurology
, usually employing intracerebral microinfusions of drugs and assaying its effects upon different brain receptors
, cellular processes, and, in particular, behavioral performance in different tasks. He was among the first to reveal the roles of epinephrine
, dopamine
, endogenous
opioid peptides and acetylcholine
in modulating memory consolidation
and state-dependent
memory retrieval. Later he has investigated benzodiazepine
and GABAergic influences on memory. Some of his main achievements include the molecular bases of memory formation, retrieval, persistence and extinction
in the mammal brain, the endogenous state dependency
, and the functional discrimination between short and long-term memory
.
Over the years, Ivan Izquierdo has published more than 500 scientific papers in refereed journals
and was, for years, one of the most cited scientists in Brazil (and Latin America): 13 of his papers have been cited over 100 times, and since 1958 his papers have received over 10,000 citations
. He has also published 17 books, 6 of which are fiction / chronicle, a recent, parallel avenue of personal interest.
Member of several Academies of Sciences in Brazil and abroad - he was elected Foreign Member of the National Academy of Sciences
, USA, on May 1, 2007 - and has earned more than 30 important national and international awards, including the highest civilian badge of honor of Brazil, the Ordem do Barão do Rio Branco" (2007). In Argentina, Izquierdo is the eighth person since 1821 to be named Honorary Professor of the University of Buenos Aires: the other seven were Nobel
Laureates.
Argentine Brazilian
Argentine Brazilian is a Brazilian person of full, partial, or predominantly Argentine ancestry, or an Argentine-born person residing in Brazil....
scientist and a pioneer in the study of the neurobiology of learning and memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
. Born in 1937 in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Izquierdo has graduated in Medicine (1961) and completed his Ph.D. in Pharmacology (1962), both in the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
(UBA). For nearly a decade, Izquierdo taught at National University of Cordoba (UNC), in Argentina, but, due to a number of reasons, both political (the Argentinian dictatorship) and personal (his wife, Ivone, is Brazilian), he moved to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in the beginning of the seventies, and has lived in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
since 1978. For more than 20 years, he has worked in the "Center of Memory" of the Biochemistry Department of the Health Basic Sciences Institute (ICBS) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul is one of the largest federal universities in Brazil. It is almost completely located in Porto Alegre, with four campi , some isolated buildings The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Portuguese: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS) is...
(UFRGS), where he has had an enormous influence on young scientists: he has trained 42 Ph.D. students, most of whom hold academic research positions in universities in Brazil and elsewhere. Recently, he moved to the Pontificial Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) where he continues with his research.
Ivan Izquierdo has made several key contributions to the understanding of the cellular basis of brain processes underlying memory storage and retrieval
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
. His research work is focused in the biological mechanisms of memory processes, employing multiple experimental approaches that range from behavioral psychobiology to neurochemistry
Neurochemistry
Neurochemistry is the specific study of neurochemicals, which include neurotransmitters and other molecules such as neuro-active drugs that influence neuron function. This principle closely examines the manner in which these neurochemicals influence the network of neural operation...
, pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
, neurophysiology
Neurophysiology
Neurophysiology is a part of physiology. Neurophysiology is the study of nervous system function...
and experimental neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
, usually employing intracerebral microinfusions of drugs and assaying its effects upon different brain receptors
Receptor (biochemistry)
In biochemistry, a receptor is a molecule found on the surface of a cell, which receives specific chemical signals from neighbouring cells or the wider environment within an organism...
, cellular processes, and, in particular, behavioral performance in different tasks. He was among the first to reveal the roles of epinephrine
Epinephrine
Epinephrine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels, dilates air passages and participates in the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system. In chemical terms, adrenaline is one of a group of monoamines called the catecholamines...
, dopamine
Dopamine
Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...
, endogenous
Endogenous
Endogenous substances are those that originate from within an organism, tissue, or cell. Endogenous retroviruses are caused by ancient infections of germ cells in humans, mammals and other vertebrates...
opioid peptides and acetylcholine
Acetylcholine
The chemical compound acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in both the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system in many organisms including humans...
in modulating memory consolidation
Memory consolidation
Memory consolidation is a category of processes that stabilize a memory trace after the initial acquisition. Consolidation is distinguished into two specific processes, synaptic consolidation, which occurs within the first few hours after learning, and system consolidation, where...
and state-dependent
State-dependent learning
State-dependent learning is a notion that learning and recalling are based upon the physiological and mental state of the organism....
memory retrieval. Later he has investigated benzodiazepine
Benzodiazepine
A benzodiazepine is a psychoactive drug whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring...
and GABAergic influences on memory. Some of his main achievements include the molecular bases of memory formation, retrieval, persistence and extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
in the mammal brain, the endogenous state dependency
State-dependent learning
State-dependent learning is a notion that learning and recalling are based upon the physiological and mental state of the organism....
, and the functional discrimination between short and long-term memory
Long-term memory
Long-term memory is memory in which associations among items are stored, as part of the theory of a dual-store memory model. According to the theory, long term memory differs structurally and functionally from working memory or short-term memory, which ostensibly stores items for only around 20–30...
.
Over the years, Ivan Izquierdo has published more than 500 scientific papers in refereed journals
Referee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
and was, for years, one of the most cited scientists in Brazil (and Latin America): 13 of his papers have been cited over 100 times, and since 1958 his papers have received over 10,000 citations
Scientific citation
Scientific citation is providing detailed reference in a scientific publication, typically a paper or book, to previous published communications which have a bearing on the subject of the new publication...
. He has also published 17 books, 6 of which are fiction / chronicle, a recent, parallel avenue of personal interest.
Member of several Academies of Sciences in Brazil and abroad - he was elected Foreign Member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, USA, on May 1, 2007 - and has earned more than 30 important national and international awards, including the highest civilian badge of honor of Brazil, the Ordem do Barão do Rio Branco" (2007). In Argentina, Izquierdo is the eighth person since 1821 to be named Honorary Professor of the University of Buenos Aires: the other seven were Nobel
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
Laureates.