WIM no. 17 Spring 2020

מכון ויצמן למדע psychophysics techniques and brain imaging technology in humans and electrophysiology in animal models to unveil emotion-related networks at the level of individual brain cells and understand how these networks malfunction in mental illness. Insights expected to emerge from this center will bolster mental resilience, prevent mental illness, and inform the design of new targets for brain-based treatment when illness does occur. Learning, Memory, and Cognition The hallmark of human evolution is sophisticated cognitive function. Q How do our brain make us who we are—and how can we ‘fix’ the brain when this activity falters? A Scientists will seek answers to these questions and their relevance to cognitive impairments, dementia, amnesia, learning disabilities, and mental illness. The human brain makes complex computations that far outstrip the capacity of any modern machine. The process of working memory, the impact of attention, and the consolidation and storage of some memories while others are suppressed or erased are all part of this complexity. Add to that optimal decision-making (encompassed in the emerging field of neuroeconomics). Additionally, addressing these issues and more requires an integrated study of brain activity that combines insights from neuroscience, and computer scientists will also pave the way towards advanced machine learning and ‘smart’ technologies that are at the heart of artificial intelligence. The Aging Brain As science and medical technology continue to expand the human lifespan, societies and individuals must face the inevitable consequences: the physical and mental deterioration of healthy aging, not to mention the increasing prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Q How does the brain transform in the aging process? Can this process be halted or reversed? A Through extensive collaboration across fields and disciplines, Weizmann scientists will advance our understanding of what drives the aging process and the physiological results of brain aging—in health and disease—and are expected to yield potential treatments for aging-related disorders. This center will work in collaboration with the Sagol Institute for Longevity Research, which investigates brain and body biology related to aging and longevity. Neurodegeneration Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease are all characterized by inexorable loss of cognition and memory, changes in behavior, and an inability to control bodily functions. Research to prevent and repair neurodegeneration is a priority for science and for medicine. Q What are the causes and trajectories of neurodegenerative diseases? How can they be prevented and cured? A Finding solutions to the challenges of neurodegeneration will lie at the heart of research conducted in this center, which will serve as a g Prof. Rony Paz, Head of the Department of Neurobiology Weizmann MAGAZINE Cover Story