In
the 1990s, the "Decade of the Brain" in the United States,
enormous progress was made globally in understanding basic workings of
the central nervous system. This period saw a blossoming of sophisticated
new techniques for peering into the inner workings of neurons and whole
neural systems, including neuroimaging procedures, advanced genetic approaches,
neuronal circuit analysis, and biophysical methods. These new avenues
of experimentation will likely open up entirely new approaches to the
treatment
of nervous system disorders and will allow a great refinement in our
understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying innate and learned
behaviors.
At the De Lange Conference on Neurobiology of Perception and Communication,
we will have an opportunity to hear firsthand from more than a dozen
scientists and scholars leading this revolution. They will address the
critical areas of memory, language, sensation, perception, and attention.
Their lectures and the ensuing discussions will review recent discoveries
as well as provide a glimpse into the future of novel methods, advances
in theory, treatment of diseases, and new understandings in the philosophy
of mind. We invite you to join us for two days of stimulating lectures
and opportunities for discussion with these leading figures, along with
outstanding faculty from Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine
and other Houston institutions, and with visiting faculty, students and
others.
The conference will take place at Rice University, just a short distance
from the Texas Medical Center, on March 5-6, 2001, when Houston's azaleas
are in full bloom and the weather is nearly ideal.
