P. Goldman-Rakic, 66; Neuroscientist Studied Memory Function
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Patricia S. Goldman-Rakic, 66, a Yale neuroscientist who conducted extensive research in memory function, died Thursday in New Haven, Conn., of injuries suffered when she was struck by a car two days earlier.
Research conducted by Goldman-Rakic paved the way for scientists to understand the neurobiological basis of normal behavior, said a university spokeswoman, Karen Peart.
It also helped scientists further understand schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder.
Goldman-Rakic was also known for key discoveries in memory function, including the realization that cells in the prefrontal cortex are dedicated to specific memory tasks.
Recent research at Yale has focused on the role of signaling molecules and their involvement in a number of brain disorders and cognitive deficits.
In the 1970s, Goldman-Rakic discovered that the loss of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex produced working memory deficits.
Her studies of dopamine receptors in the brain have provided insights for scientists researching treatments for schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.
