On Wed, 11 Oct 2000, Ron Apland wrote:
> Stephen, there is a biography of Cotzias by Vincent Dole at
> http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/biomems/gcotzias.html. There is no
> mention of Carlsson or even the encephalitis episode of awakenings. As I
> read it, Cotzias discovered l-dopa.
Thanks, Ron. I've now checked _Awakenings_ and realize that I was
confused about Cotzias. Oliver Sacks credits Hornykiewicz in
Vienna and Barbeau in Montreal with establishing that Parkinson's
is a disease in which brain dopamine is lacking. He credits
Cotzias with establishing that l-DOPA is an effective treatment
in Parkinson's. It was Oliver Sacks himself (not Cotzias, as I
said) who tried l-DOPA on patients with long-standing
encephalitis lethargica.
But this brings me back to my original question. Sacks doesn't
mention Arvid Carlsson, who was awarded the Nobel Prize
apparently for the above achievements. According to Youdim &
Rieder (Scientific American, 1997), Carlsson made his
contribution in 1959, while, according to Sacks, Hornykiewicz and
Barbeau did their work in 1960. Probably they were inspired by
Carlsson. As usual, it's likely a question of deciding whose
contribution was fundamental, never an easy task. But it's
strange that Sacks doesn't mention Carlsson at all.
I've sent a query off to HISTNEUR-L. Perhaps they'll be able to
clarify who did what and why Carlsson deserved the prize over the
others.
One question just occurred to me, and I hope it's not silly. Do
you have to be alive to get a Nobel? I believe that Barbeau is
dead, I know that Carlsson is alive, and have no idea about
Hornykiewicz.
(If so, I at least satisfy one criterion for the award.)
-Stephen
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Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
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