Norman Geschwind

From Psy3242

Introduction

Geschwind (1926-1984) changed his mindset after being drafted into the Army during World War II. Upon returning to Harvard, he changed his major from mathematics to social and personality psychology and cultural anthropology. He was then accepted into the Harvard Medical School after graduation, and longed to be psychiatrist. During his studies, he leaned toward fields in aphasia and epilepsy.

Work

In 1958, seven years after graduation, he joined the staff at the Boston VA Hospital. It was here that he was encouraged to study aphasia; aphasia research is what Geschwind is known for. Geschwind co-founded the Boston University Aphasia Research Center. This facility became notable for its interdisciplinary aphasia research.

Geschwind continued to teach at Boston University and Harvard Medical School, where he researched the following topics: aphasia, epilepsy, dyslexia, neuroanatomy of cerebral lateral asymmetries, areas of neurological dysfunction.

His Legacy

He is credited with developing the term "behavioral neurology" to discuss higher cortical functions there were being presented to the American Academy of Neurology. Geschwind is said to have played a part in the research of Kenneth Heilman, Elliott Ross, and David N. Caplan. Also, Geschwind syndrome and the Geschwind-Galaburda Hypothesis are named after him.