Vol. 2, Special Issue
The tremendous progress in brain research means hope for those who are suffering, be it from Alzheimer's, addiction, or depression. They cause misery to millions of Americans, aside from costing the country billions of dollars. I think these outstanding scientists have shown us dramatically that these terrible problems can and, more importantly, will be solved. I believe that with my whole heart.
Yet, what you heard is just the tip of the iceberg. The fact is, all of us have a stake in neuroscience. Not all of us will get AIDS. Not all of us will develop cancer. Fortunately not all of us will have a heart attack. But every one of us, at some time in our lives, will experience a brain or nervous system problem--a migraine, depression, addiction, stroke, head or spinal injury, learning disorder, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, memory loss in aging not caused by Alzheimer's, disorder of speech, vision or hearing, schizophrenia--you can go on. It is one of the true areas that crosses all lines. That is why we as laymen have so much to fight for.
We don't want a bigger piece of the pie, we just want the bare amount that it takes to do the job. We are not competing with these other wonderful causes. We are asking how, in this country, can you effectively cut a budget five percent, when you are showing such growth and such progress, just this year alone? It fascinates me; you should have held this in Washington.
But there is a whole lot more. Not only here at Harvard, probably the finest medical complex in the world, but across the country, neuroscientists are also finding out the secrets of the normal brain--how we make the best use of our brain's capabilities. These studies will revolutionize the way we teach children, the way we age and the way we treat each other.
What can you do to support it? First and foremost, you could talk to you friends, to your co-workers. Because the cost of ignorance is too high. For instance, not knowing the difference between clinical depression and self-indulgence can be fatal. Talking about what you heard today is important because with all of our high technology, from the tom-toms to where we are today, word of mouth and conviction are still the most powerful forms of communication.
Secondly, as one laymen to another, I hope you'll join me because I guarantee you'll get a chance to do your part-whether you are a teacher who can influence a curriculum, a student who can lead your peers, a political activist who can enlighten your representatives, or somebody like me who puts time and money into this cause. The more you know, the more you are able to do.
I do want to say: "To whom much is given, much is expected." This country is far behind the learning curve of what is happening in the brain and what can be done about it. Out there somewhere, support is going to come from the people, but every since Moses came down with those Commandments, somebody had to sell them. And it is our job to sell them. *