E. R. Kandel

E. R. Kandel is a renowned neuroscientist who studies how the brain learns and remembers. He discovered that changes in the connections between nerve cells, or neurons, are fundamental to memory formation. His research on sea slugs helped reveal the basic biological mechanisms of learning, illustrating how experiences strengthen or weaken synapses—the points where neurons communicate. Kandel's work has deepened our understanding of the brain’s plasticity, or ability to adapt, and earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2000. His findings have important implications for treating memory-related conditions like Alzheimer's disease.