About Us
Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the benefit of humanity.
Jun 13, 2017...
Thanks to advances in healthcare, sanitation, safety, and nutrition, people today are living longer than ever; in fact, in the West, the fastest-growing demographic is age 85 and up.
Fortunately, Weizmann Institute of Science researchers from across the disciplines have long made it a priority to investigate neurodegenerative and neurological disorders, including those that tend to strike older people; just some of these areas of research include Parkinson’s, glaucoma and advanced macular degeneration (AMD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), nerve degeneration as a result of trauma or stroke – and, especially, Alzheimer’s disease.
Jul 11, 2018...
Nachum Ulanovsky with one of his research bats. Credit: David Vaaknin for Nature
On a sun-parched patch of land in Rehovot, Israel, two neuroscientists peer into the darkness of a 200-metre-long tunnel of their own design. The fabric panels of the snaking structure shimmer in the heat, while, inside, a study subject is navigating its dim length. Finally, out of the blackness bursts a bat, which executes a mid-air backflip to land upside down, hanging at the tunnel’s entrance.
Mar 03, 2011...
Precious memories need not fade if a report today bears fruit. Neuroscientists have successfully strengthened old memories in rats, according to research published today in Science.
A handful of substances can strengthen memories as they’re being made. But a greater aim for neuroscientists is to learn how to enhance existing, older memories, such as where you live or your grandson’s name—memories often lost because of dementia or amnesia.
Mar 09, 2020...
In a study published by scientists from Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Current Biology, participants were exposed to the scent of roses while they were asked to remember the location of words presented on either the left or right sides of a computer screen.
They were then tested on their memory of the word locations before proceeding to nap at the lab. While napping, the scent of roses was administered again, but this time only to one nostril.
Nov 12, 2013...
Image of a neuronal spine from Prof. Menahem Segal’s lab, which uses time-lapse photography to view living, cultured neurons in a confocal laser scanning microscope.
One in 10 Americans over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating neurological disorder that slowly destroys memory and cognitive function and for which there is no cure. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), because the risk of developing the disease increases with age and more people are living longer, the number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s is likely to grow dramatically.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/a-deep-dive-to-retrieve-and-fortify-memories/
Mar 08, 2011...
For years scientists have dreamed of developing a genuine memory booster, a drug that could tune the brain's biological search engine so that it's better at retrieving not only recently learned facts, like last night's dinner menu, but details that seem all but lost in the fog of time, like childhood classmates' names and antics.
Such a substance would have obvious appeal — for people at risk of dementia, to name just one group — but the search has been very slow going. Stimulants like caffeine and nicotine can sharpen the memory, but like other temporary enhancers, they need to be taken when the information is learned or retrieved to make a difference.
Apr 02, 2017...
Optogenetic research shows promise for erasing memories of fear. Image via Shutterstock.com
Erasing unwanted memories isn’t yet possible. However, Israeli scientists are now reporting that they have succeeded in erasing one type of memory in mice – fear.
This new technique may one day help extinguish traumatic memories in humans – for example, in people with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Mar 15, 2017...
An entire mouse brain viewed from above: Neuronal extensions connect the two amygdalas (the brightest green spots on both sides of the brain) with the prefrontal cortex (top)
Erasing unwanted memories is still the stuff of science fiction, but Weizmann Institute of Science researchers have now managed to erase one type of memory in mice. In a study reported in Nature Neuroscience, they succeeded in shutting down a neuronal mechanism by which memories of fear are formed in the mouse brain. After the procedure, the mice resumed their earlier fearless behavior, “forgetting” that they had previously been frightened.
Jun 29, 2020...
A joint study by Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Weizmann Institute of Science researchers has yielded an innovative method for bolstering memory processes in the brain during sleep.
The method relies on a memory-evoking scent administered to one nostril. It helps researchers understand how sleep aids memory, and in the future could possibly help to restore memory capabilities following brain injuries or help treat people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for whom memory often serves as a trigger.
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