FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON March 25, 2006
West Shore Junior/Senior High School Student from Melbourne, Fla., to be Honored for Research on the Neocortex
St. Paul, Minn., -
Shiv M. Gaglani of West Shore Junior/Senior High School, Melbourne, Fla., will be honored with the Neuroscience Research Prize for his research on the brain’s neocortex. Gaglani will receive the award during the American Academy of Neurology’s 58th Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif., held April 1 – 8. The Neuroscience Research Prize is sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology Foundation, and the Child Neurology Society. The award was established to encourage high school students to explore the world of the brain and nervous system through laboratory research. Gaglani’s work focused on the cerebral cortex, or neocortex, which is responsible for many important cognitive abilities, such as language and memory. Abnormalities in cerebral cortex size and development can lead to disorders such as dyslexia, autism and schizophrenia. Since the cerebral cortex is so important to “higher-order” thinking, it is important to more fully understand what genetic factors influence its development. With this knowledge, potential therapies for the aforementioned disorders may be devised in the future. “The brain has fascinated me since elementary school and I knew I wanted to perform research that can elucidate some of its mysteries,” said Gaglani. “I am honored that my neuroscience research is being honored at this stage. This award has inspired me to continue working in the field of neurology. I would like to thank my mentor, Dr. Glenn Rosen, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, without whom this research would not have been possible.” The 58th Annual Meeting takes place in the San Diego Convention Center. It is the world’s largest annual gathering of neurologists.