Sperry, Roger Wolcott

Sperry, Roger Wolcott
▪ 1995

      U.S. neurobiologist (b. Aug. 20, 1913, Hartford, Conn.—d. April 17, 1994, Pasadena, Calif.), conducted fundamental studies on the left and right cerebral hemispheres of the brain and shared the 1981 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with David Hunter Hubel and Torsten Nils Wiesel for this work. Sperry was honoured for uncovering the function of the corpus callosum, a thick bundle of nerve fibres that passes information between the brain's hemispheres. Sperry earned a B.A. in literature and an M.A. in psychology from Oberlin (Ohio) College and a Ph.D. (1941) in zoology from the University of Chicago before serving as an associate of Karl Lashley, first at Harvard University and then at the Yerkes Laboratories of Primate Biology in Orange Park, Fla. He then joined the University of Chicago faculty before spending the remainder of his career (1954-84) at the California Institute of Technology. Beginning in the late 1940s, Sperry developed experimental and surgical techniques that dismantled previously held notions about the function of the brain and helped formulate a "map" that detailed various mental processes. During the latter part of his career, Sperry, who was hailed as a brilliant experimentalist, became fascinated with the mind and turned to psychology. He developed a controversial theory of consciousness and was in the process of formulating a new science based on ethical values. It was for this work that he wished to be remembered.

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▪ American biologist
born Aug. 20, 1913, Hartford, Conn., U.S.
died April 17, 1994, Pasadena, Calif.
 American neurobiologist, corecipient with David Hunter Hubel (Hubel, David Hunter) and Torsten Nils Wiesel (Wiesel, Torsten Nils) of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1981 for their investigations of brain function, Sperry in particular for his study of functional specialization in the cerebral hemispheres.

      Sperry earned a bachelor's degree in English literature and a master's degree in psychology from Oberlin (Ohio) College and a doctorate in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1941. He then became an associate of Karl Lashley, first at Harvard University and then at the Yerkes Laboratories of Primate Biology in Orange Park, Fla. In 1946 he joined the faculty of the University of Chicago and in 1954 moved to the California Institute of Technology as Hixon professor of psychobiology.

      Sperry's early research was on the regeneration of nerve fibres. He eventually became interested in brain function and undertook research on animals and then on human epileptics whose brains had been “split”—i.e., in whom the thick cable of nerves (the corpus callosum) connecting the right and left cerebral hemispheres had been severed. His studies demonstrated that the left side of the brain is normally dominant for analytical and verbal tasks, while the right hemisphere assumes dominance in spatial tasks, music, and certain other areas. The surgical and experimental techniques Sperry developed from the late 1940s laid the groundwork for much more specialized explorations of the mental functions carried out in different areas of the brain.

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  • Sperry,Roger Wolcott — Sperry, Roger Wolcott. 1913 1994. American neurobiologist. He shared a 1981 Nobel Prize for studies of the organization and functioning of the brain. * * * …   Universalium

  • Sperry , Roger Wolcott — (1913–1994) American neurobiologist Sperry, who was born in Hartford, Connecticut, studied psychology at Oberlin College and zoology at the University of Chicago, where he obtained his PhD in 1941. He worked at Harvard, the Yerkes Primate Center …   Scientists

  • Roger Wolcott Sperry — (* 20. August 1913 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA; † 18. April 1994 in Pasadena, Kalifornien, USA) war ein amerikanischer Neurobiologe. Roger Sperry wurde 1913 in Hartford geboren und wuchs in West Hartford auf, wo er die West Hartford High School …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Roger Wolcott Sperry — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Roger W. Sperry nació en Hartford, Connecticut, Estados Unidos el 20 de agosto de 1913. Estudió filología inglesa y psicología en Ohio, y zoología en la Universidad de Chicago. Obtuvo el Premio Nobel de Fisiología o… …   Wikipedia Español

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  • Roger Wolcott Sperry — Roger W. Sperry (20 août 1913 17 avril 1994) est un neurophysiologiste reconnu par ses travaux sur les connexions entre les hémisphères cérébraux, ce qui lui valut un Prix Lasker en 1979 et le Prix Nobel de médecine en 1981. Sommaire 1 Travaux… …   Wikipédia en Français

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  • Medizinnobelpreis 1981: Roger Wolcott Sperry — David Hunter Hubel — Torsten Nils Wiesel —   Die Amerikaner und der Schwede teilten sich den Nobelpreis für »Entdeckungen zur funktionellen Spezialisierung der Gehirnhemisphären« und für »Entdeckungen über Informationsbearbeitung im Sehwahrnehmungssystem«.    Biografien   Roger Wolcott… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Roger Sperry — Roger Wolcott Sperry Roger W. Sperry (20 août 1913 17 avril 1994) est un neurophysiologiste rendu célèbre par ses travaux sur les connexions entre les hémisphères cérébraux, ce qui lui valut un Prix Lasker en 1979 et le Prix Nobel de médecine en… …   Wikipédia en Français

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