Jean-Pierre Changeux

Jean-Pierre Changeux , born the April 6th 1936, is a neurobiologist French. He is professor with the Collège de France and director of the molecular laboratory of Neurobiologie with the Institut Pasteur. He is member of the Academy of Science since 1986 and summer chair national Advisory committee of ethics for the health and life sciences of 1992 to 1998. In 1992, it received the Gold medal of CNRS.

Jean-Pierre Changeux is president of the commission of the dations, charged to examine the acceptance of the works of art proposed at the French State in payment of death taxes.

Work

By their effects and repercussions for the intelligibility of the human behavior, the three projecting points of the lucky finds of Jean-Pierre Changeux are plasticity or “synaptic lability” associated with “synaptic stabilization” and the “migration neurale” at certain times and under certain conditions.

The war-horse of Jean-Pierre Changeux is plasticity or “synaptic lability” associated with “selective stabilization”. What means that the Neuron S launch their ramifications to form news Synapse S and to manufacture new functional circuits. Synaptic lability and selective stabilization are based on the creation of new circuits and the destruction of old circuits unutilised or little used, in “wiring” (Jean-Pierre Changeux & Antoine Danchin, pp. 58-88, “To learn by stabilization from synapses under development”, in the Human brain , volume 2 of the series the Unit of the man , under the direction of Edgar Morin and Massimo Piatelli/Palmarini, Seuil, Paris, 1974).

It there has two point of view, according to whether one adopts the model of the Newtonian clock or that of the computer which car-is organized, in extreme cases, in “recâblant” the circuits of his configuration, if need be, starting from the components available or taken circuits unutilised or little used. What means that intellectual competence and physics are what wears when one does not make use of it.

“the combinative possibilities related on the number and the diversity of connections of the brain of the man appear indeed sufficient to give an account of the human capacities. Cleavage between mental activities and neuronal activities is not justified. From now on, what good is it to speak about spirit? There are nothing any more but two apects of one and even event which one will be able to describe with terms borrowed either from the language of the psychologist (or introspection), or with that of the neurobiologist. ” (Jean-Pierre Changeux, the neuronal man , Beech, Paris, 1983, p. 334)

As between culture and communication, they are from two points of view: that which take the prospect for the structure and that which adopts the functional aspect of the activities.

Conclusion

It is the epigenetic assumption which builds the approach of Jean Pierre Changeux, assumption according to which the evolution of the brain superimposes, with the action of genes, an intrinsic development coordinated by the training and the specific experiment to each individual.

Our faculties to think and have a reflexive conscience, our capacity to produce, communicate and accumulate knowledge, as well as the permanent aspiration of the human being to find a truth and an ethics communes are thus examined with the glance of the scientist.

“The men judge things according to the provision of their brain”, and they act however according to their own system of values.

J.P. Changeux says it and knows it. However, as we all it fights to be able to encircle or know its clean “bolts”.

Our conscience (reflexive) can perceive them only after the new made synthesis. Approach of J.P. Changeux, which we find in all the evolutionists consists in showing how the first cells could gradually give birth to companies the human able ones to link their forces through sciences and technology to concretize representations of the world born their interactions with this same world.

Honors

1977 - Price Alexandre-Joannidès of the Academy of Science
1978 - Price Gairdner
1982 - Richard-Lounsbery price of the Academy of Science
1983 - Broquette-Gonin Literary prize of the French Academy for the neuronal Man
1985 - price Celine.
1986 - price F. - O Schmitt of the Neurosciences Research Institute.
1988 - Rita-Levi-Montalcini Price of the Fidia foundation.
1990 - Price Bristol-board-Myers-Squibb of the Neurosciences Research Institute.
1991 - Medal Carl-Gustav-Bernhard medal of the Swedish Academy of Science.
1992 - Gold medal of CNRS.
1993 - Price of medicine Louis-Jeantet
1994 - Goodman and Gilman Award
1996 - Medal max-Delbrück
1997 - Grand Prix of the Foundation for the medical research, Paris
1997 - Price Jean-Louis Signoret, in neuropsychology, Foundation Ipsen
1998 - Price Emanuel Merck in Chemistry, Darmstadt
1998/1999 - Linus Pauling medal, Stanford, the USA
1999 - Prices Eli Lilly, in preclinic Neuroscience, European College of Neuropsychopharmacologie, London
2000 - Langley Award for BASIC research one nicotine and tobacco, Washington
2001 - Price Balzan in Cognitive Neuroscience, Bern
2005 - Rockefeller University' S science writing prize
2006 - Award off the Biotechnology Center Study of the New York University School off Medicine, with Eric R. Kandel (Nobel Prize of physiology or medicine in 2000), and Charles Weissmann.

Bibliographical references

Jean-Pierre Changeux & Antoine Danchin, pp. 58-88, “To learn by stabilization from synapses under development”, in the Human brain , volume 2 of the series the Unit of the man , under the direction of Edgar Morin and Massimo Piatelli/Palmarini, Threshold, Paris, 1974)
Jean-Pierre Changeux, the neuronal Man , Beech, Paris, 1983

Works

; Popularization of the neurosciences

the neuronal Man , Beech, Paris, 1983
Reason and pleasure , Odile Jacob, Paris, 1994
the Man of truth , Odile Jacob, Paris, 2002
Genes and culture , collective under the direction of Jean-Pierre Changeux, Odile Jacob, Paris, 2003

; Ethics

natural Bases of ethics , Odile Jacob, Paris, 1993
the same ethics for all , collective under the direction of Jean-Pierre Changeux, Odile Jacob, Paris, 1997

; Arts

the Light at the Age of Enlightenment and today , collective under the direction of Jean-Pierre Changeux, Odile Jacob, Paris, 2005
passions of the heart , Odile Jacob, Paris, 2006
Article published in Art Today : Changeux and art

; Philosophy

Matière with thought , with Alain Connes, Odile Jacob, Paris, 2000
What makes us think - nature and the rule , with Paul Ricoeur, Odile Jacob, Paris, 1998
the truth in sciences , collective under the direction of Jean-Pierre Changeux, Odile Jacob, Paris, 2003

; Anglo-American publications

Nicotinic Receptors Acetylcholine: From Molecular Biology to Cognition (2005) (together with Stuart Edelstein), Odile Jacob Publishing Corporation
What Makes Custom Think. In Neuroscientist and has Philosopher Wire-drawer Butt Ethics, Human Nature, and the Brain (2002) (together with Paul Ricœur)
Review off What Makes Us Think by Howard Gardner *Review off What Makes Custom Think by Elliott White * Conversations one Mind, Matter and Mathematics (2002) (together with Alain Connes)
Neuronal Man: The Biology off Mind (1985)

; Scientific publications

Nonmyogenic factors bind nicotinic acetylcholine promoter elements required for response to denervation. by Bessereau J. - L., Laudenbach V., the Baby in-arms C., Changeux J. - P. (1998). J Biol Chem, 273: 12786-12793. 98250719
Brain nicotinic receptors: structure and regulation, role in learning and reinforcement. by Changeux J. - P., Bertrand D., Corringer P. - J., Dehaene S., Edelstein S., Léna C., Novère NR., Marubio L., Picciotto Mr., Zoli Mr. (1998). Brain LMBO Rev, 26: 198-216. 98316245
neuronal Hierarchical modeling off cognitive functions: from synaptic transmission to the Tower off London. Changeux J. - P., Dehaene S. (1998). CR Acad Sci Paris 321,241-247. 98431512
Drug uses and misuses. by Changeux J. - P. (1998). J Am Acad Arts Sci Daedalus, 127: 145-165.
Allosteric receptors after 30 years. by Changeux JP, Edelstein SJ (1998). Neuron 1998 21 (5): 959-80. 99072274
Critical elements determining diversity in agonist binding and desensitization off neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. by Corringer PJ, Bertrand S, Bohler S, Edelstein SJ, Changeux JP, Bertrand D (1998). J Neurosci 18: 648-657. 98086317
has neuronal model off has total workspace in effortful cognitive task. by Dehaene S, Kerszberg M, Changeux JP (1998). Proc Natl Acad Sci the USA 95: 14529-14534. 9904571898316245
Allosteric transitions off the acetylcholine receptor. by Edelstein S., Changeux J.P. (1998). In Linkage thermodynamics off macromolecular interactions. Advances in protein chemistry. 51: 121-184. 98277375
Differential susceptibility off Young and old rat neuromuscular junctions to antibody-mediated AChR degradation in experimental autoimmune myasthenia climbed. by Hoedemaekers has, Bessereau JL, Graus Y, Guyon T, Changeux JP, Berrih-Aknin S, Van Breda Vriesman P, De Baets M (1998). Ann NR there Acad Sci 13; 841: 550-4. 98332890
Role off the target organ in determining susceptibility to experimental autoimmune myasthenia climbed. Hoedemaekers has, Bessereau JL, Graus Y, Guyon T, Changeux JP, Berrih-Aknin S, van Breda Vriesman P, De Baets MH (1998). J Neuroimmunol 14; 89 (1-2): 131-41. 98393436
Mechanisms for positional signalling by morphogen transport: theoretical study has. by Kerszberg Mr., Wolpert L. (1998). J Theor Biol 191: 103-114. 98256415
has simple model off neurulation. by Kerszberg Mr., Changeux J.P. (1998). Bioessay, 20: 758-770. 99037000
Ivermectin : positive allosteric effector off a7 has neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. by hKrause R.M., Bertrand S., Corringer P.J., Galzi J.L., Changeux J. - P., Bertrand D. (1998). Mol Pharmacol 53,283-294. 98130700
Identification off Furnace Classes off Brain Nicotinic Receptors Using b2 Mutant Mice. by Zoli M, Léna C, Picciotto MR., Changeux JP (1998). J Neurosci 18: 4461-4472. 98279059

External bonds

Documentary on Jean-Pierre Changeux, in free access on the site of CNRS
Comment of Conference on Cégep Limoilou
Jean-Pierre Changeux - the expert - Article of the 04-05-03
Titles and distinctions
“What makes us think? ”, conference in the French Arts center of Oslo

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