Donald W. Pfaff

Last updated
Donald W. Pfaff
Donald Pfaff headshot.jpg
Born(1939-12-09)December 9, 1939
Rochester, New York
Nationality United States
Alma mater
Spouse(s)
Children3
Scientific career
Fields Neuroscience
Institutions The Rockefeller University
Notable students Robert Lustig

Donald Wells Pfaff is a professor and head of the Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior at The Rockefeller University in New York City. [1]

Contents

Early life

Donald Pfaff was born in on December 9, 1939. [2] He graduated from Harvard College, magna cum laude (1961), and received a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1965). After further training at MIT and the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, he joined The Rockefeller University in 1966 as a post-doctoral fellow. He was appointed assistant professor in 1969, promoted to associate professor in 1971, and gained tenure in 1973. He has been professor and head of the Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior since 1978. [3]

Research

Early in his career, Pfaff developed techniques to discover both estrogen and androgen receptors in rat brains. [4] [5] Within 15 years, it was clear that the limbic/hypothalamic system he discovered in rat brains was universal among vertebrate brains as well. [6]

His laboratory worked out the first nerve cell circuit for a mammalian behavior, discovered hormone-sensitive genes in the brain; and integrated these findings to show how specific gene expression in a small part of the brain can regulate behavior. [7] Pfaff also discovered that the nerve cells which control all reproductive processes—neurons that express the gene for the peptide called Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)—are not born in the brain (as are most neurons), but in the nose, from which they migrate into the brain. [8] [9]

Pfaff also formulated a concept of the fundamental brain processes, “generalized brain arousal” (GA), and studied the development of arousal-related neurons, their anatomy, and neurophysiology. [10]

Pfaff’s lab has published more than 900 research papers, and he has written or edited more than 25 books. Pfaff conceived and edited a comprehensive survey of neuroscience, Neuroscience in the 21st Century, [11] which was distributed electronically without cost, to colleges and medical schools in economically developing countries. [12]  Among his books, Estrogens and Brain Function [13] united the fields of endocrinology and neuroscience. Drive [14] demonstrated the mechanisms for a simple reproductive behavior, and argued that the lessons learned informed our understanding of the physiological basis of libido. Brain Arousal and Information Theory [15] addressed the mechanisms that wake up the entire brain as well as their damping down by sleep, anesthesia or traumatic brain injury. The Altruistic Brain, [16] co-written with Dr. Sandra Sherman, argued that altruistic behavior can be considered as a natural neurophysiological phenomenon, and put forth an elegant theory of how such prosocial behaviors can be explained without reference to any unusual neural capacities. How the Vertebrate Brain Regulates Behavior; A Field Develops [17] offers Pfaff’s perspective on his more than fifty years in neuroscience.

Honors and awards

Related Research Articles

Brain Organ that controls the nervous system in vertebrates and most invertebrates

A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a vertebrate's body. In a human, the cerebral cortex contains approximately 14–16 billion neurons, and the estimated number of neurons in the cerebellum is 55–70 billion. Each neuron is connected by synapses to several thousand other neurons. These neurons typically communicate with one another by means of long fibers called axons, which carry trains of signal pulses called action potentials to distant parts of the brain or body targeting specific recipient cells.

Central nervous system Brain and spinal cord

The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is so named because it integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all parts of the bodies of bilaterally symmetric animals—i.e., all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish—and it contains the majority of the nervous system. The CNS also includes the retina and the optic nerve, as well as the olfactory nerves and olfactory epithelium as parts of the CNS, synapsing directly on brain tissue without intermediate ganglia. As such, the olfactory epithelium is the only central nervous tissue in direct contact with the environment, which opens up for therapeutic treatments. The CNS is contained within the dorsal body cavity, with the brain housed in the cranial cavity and the spinal cord in the spinal canal. In vertebrates, the brain is protected by the skull, while the spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae. The brain and spinal cord are both enclosed in the meninges. Within the CNS, the interneuronal space is filled with a large amount of supporting non-nervous cells called neuroglia or glia from the Greek for "glue".

Neuroscience scientific study of the nervous system

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. It combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, developmental biology, cytology, mathematical modeling, and psychology to understand the fundamental and emergent properties of neurons and neural circuits. The understanding of the biological basis of learning, memory, behavior, perception, and consciousness has been described by Eric Kandel as the "ultimate challenge" of the biological sciences.

Estrogen Primary female sex hormone

Estrogen, or oestrogen, is the primary female sex hormone. It is responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens in females that have estrogenic hormonal activity: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). Estradiol, an estrane, is the most potent and prevalent. Another estrogen called estetrol (E4) is produced only during pregnancy.

Hypothalamus Area of the brain below the thalamus

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus and is part of the limbic system. In the terminology of neuroanatomy, it forms the ventral part of the diencephalon. All vertebrate brains contain a hypothalamus. In humans, it is the size of an almond.

Androgen Any steroid hormone that promotes male characteristics

An androgen is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This includes the embryological development of the primary male sex organs, and the development of male secondary sex characteristics at puberty. Androgens are synthesized in the testes, the ovaries, and the adrenal glands.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone mammalian protein found in Homo sapiens

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a releasing hormone responsible for the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary. GnRH is a tropic peptide hormone synthesized and released from GnRH neurons within the hypothalamus. The peptide belongs to gonadotropin-releasing hormone family. It constitutes the initial step in the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.

Lordosis behavior

Lordosis behavior, also known as mammalian lordosis or presenting, is the naturally occurring body posture for sexual receptivity to copulation present in most mammals including rodents, elephants, and cats. The primary characteristics of the behavior are a lowering of the forelimbs but with the rear limbs extended and hips raised, ventral arching of the spine and a raising, or sideward displacement, of the tail. During lordosis, the spine curves dorsoventrally so that its apex points towards the abdomen.

A neurohormone is any hormone produced and released by neuroendocrine cells into the blood. By definition of being hormones, they are secreted into the circulation for systemic effect, but they can also have a role of neurotransmitter or other roles such as autocrine (self) or paracrine (local) messenger.

The sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) is an ovoid, densely packed cluster of large cells located in the medial preoptic area (POA) of the hypothalamus which is believed to be related to sexual behavior in animals.

Elizabeth Gould is an American neuroscientist and the Dorman T. Warren Professor of Psychology at Princeton University. She was an early investigator of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a research area that continues to be controversial. In November 2002, Discover magazine listed her as one of the 50 most important women scientists.

Neurorobotics, a combined study of neuroscience, robotics, and artificial intelligence, is the science and technology of embodied autonomous neural systems. Neural systems include brain-inspired algorithms, computational models of biological neural networks and actual biological systems. Such neural systems can be embodied in machines with mechanic or any other forms of physical actuation. This includes robots, prosthetic or wearable systems but also, at smaller scale, micro-machines and, at the larger scales, furniture and infrastructures.

Ernst Knobil was a scientist known for his studies of endocrinology.

Parental brain

Parental experience, as well as changing hormone levels during pregnancy and postpartum, cause changes in the parental brain. Displaying maternal sensitivity towards infant cues, processing those cues and being motivated to engage socially with her infant and attend to the infant's needs in any context could be described as mothering behavior and is regulated by many systems in the maternal brain. Research has shown that hormones such as oxytocin, prolactin, estradiol and progesterone are essential for the onset and the maintenance of maternal behavior in rats, and other mammals as well. Mothering behavior has also been classified within the basic drives. Less is known about the paternal brain, but changes in the father's brain occur alongside the mother once the offspring is born.

Neuroscience of sex differences Characteristics of the brain that differentiate the male brain and the female brain

The neuroscience of sex differences is the study of characteristics that separate the male and female brain. Psychological sex differences are thought by some to reflect the interaction of genes, hormones, and social learning on brain development throughout the lifespan.

Behavioral Endocrinology is a branch of endocrinology that studies the Neuroendocrine system and its effects on behavior. Behavioral endocrinology studies the biological mechanisms that produce behaviors, this gives insight into the evolutionary past. The field has roots in ethology, endocrinology and psychology.

Jacques Balthazart Belgian biologist

Jacques Balthazart is a Belgian biologist who specializes in behavioral neuroendocrinology, author of multiple publications and working at the University of Liège.

Frances Champagne Psychologist

Frances A. Champagne is a psychologist and University Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin known for her research in the fields of molecular neuroscience, maternal behavior, and epigenetics. Research in the Champagne lab explores the developmental plasticity that occurs in response to environmental experiences. She is known for her work on the epigenetic transmission of maternal behavior. Frances Champagne's research has revealed how natural variations in maternal behavior can shape the behavioral development of offspring through epigenetic changes in gene expression in a brain region specific manner. She won the NIH Director's New Innovator Award in 2007 and the Frank A. Beach Young Investigator Award in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology in 2009. She has been described as the "bee's knees of neuroscience". She serves on the Committee on Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development Among Children and Youth in the United States.

Catherine S. Woolley is an American neuroendocrinologist. Woolley holds the William Deering Chair in Biological Sciences in the Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, at Northwestern University. She is also a member of the Women's Health Research Institute in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

References

  1. ↑ "Donald W. Pfaff". Rockefeller University. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  2. ↑ Handbook of neuroendocrinology. Fink, George., Pfaff, Donald W., 1939-, Levine, Jon E. [Place of publication not identified]: Academic Press. 2012. ISBN   9780123750976. OCLC   756490849.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ↑ Choleris, Elena; McCarthy, Margaret M.; Kavaliers, Martin (January 2012). "Daniel S. Lehrman Lifetime Achievement Award: Sex in the brain: Donald Wells Pfaff and motivation from genes to molecules to behavior". Hormones and Behavior. 61 (1): 1–3. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.12.015 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  4. ↑ Pfaff, Donald; Keiner, Melvyn (1973-09-15). "Atlas of estradiol-concentrating cells in the central nervous system of the female rat". The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 151 (2): 121–157. doi:10.1002/cne.901510204. ISSN   1096-9861. PMID   4744471.
  5. ↑ Pfaff, Donald W. (1968-09-27). "Autoradiographic Localization of Radioactivity in Rat Brain after Injection of Tritiated Sex Hormones". Science. 161 (3848): 1355–1356. doi:10.1126/science.161.3848.1355. ISSN   0036-8075. PMID   5673448.
  6. ↑ Ganten, D. (Detlev) (1986). Morphology of Hypothalamus and Its Connections. Pfaff, Donald. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. ISBN   9783642714634. OCLC   840294755.
  7. ↑ Geyer, Joan (11 November 1977). "Expert Says Sense of Smell is Most Important". Anaheim California Bulletin.
  8. ↑ Bentley, P. (1998). Comparative vertebrate endocrinology (3rd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 28. ISBN   978-0521629980. OCLC   37239013.
  9. ↑ Schwanzel-Fukuda, Marlene; Pfaff, Donald W. (March 1989). "Origin of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone neurons". Nature. 338 (6211): 161–164. doi:10.1038/338161a0. ISSN   1476-4687. PMID   2645530.
  10. ↑ Plant, Tony M.; Zeleznik, Anthony J. (2014-12-30). Knobil and Neill's physiology of reproduction. Plant, T. M. (Tony M.),, Zeleznik, Anthony,, Knobil, Ernst. (4th ed.). Amsterdam. ISBN   9780123971753. OCLC   897442559.
  11. ↑ Pfaff, Donald W.; Volkow, Nora D. (2016-10-27). Neuroscience in the 21st Century : from basic to clinical. Pfaff, Donald W., 1939-, Volkow, Nora D., 1956- (Second ed.). New York, NY. ISBN   978-1493934737. OCLC   961912670.
  12. ↑ "IBRO | New comprehensive neuroscience textbook: free to universities in low-income countries". ibro.info. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  13. ↑ Pfaff, Donald W. (1980). Estrogens and Brain Function : Neural Analysis of a Hormone-Controlled Mammalian Reproductive Behavior. New York, NY: Springer New York. ISBN   978-1461380863. OCLC   852790540.
  14. ↑ Pfaff, Donald W. (1999). Drive: Neurobiological and molecular mechanisms of sexual motivation . Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ISBN   978-0262661478. OCLC   44963864.
  15. ↑ Pfaff, Donald W. (2006). Brain arousal and information theory: Neural and genetic mechanisms. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ISBN   978-0674019201. OCLC   431398899.
  16. ↑ Pfaff, Donald W. (2015). The altruistic brain : how we are naturally good. Oxford. ISBN   978-0199377466. OCLC   875629963.
  17. ↑ Pfaff, Donald W. How the vertebrate brain regulates behavior: Direct from the lab. Cambridge, Massachusetts. ISBN   978-0674660311. OCLC   959871694.
  18. ↑ Sankaran, Neeraja (13 June 1994). "Nine Women Among 60 Scientists Elected To NAS". The Scientist. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  19. ↑ "Academy Member Connection". www.amacad.org. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  20. ↑ "Daniel S. Lehrman Lifetimes Achievement Award in Behavioral Neuroendicrinology" . Retrieved 16 January 2018.
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