The Neuroscientist Who Practiced What We Preach

Recently I came across a remarkable lady who can be an example for all of us. Her name was Rita Levi-Montalcini.

Levi-Montalcini was an Italian Jew born in 1909. She graduated from medical school summa cum laude and started to practice medicine in Italy until World War II. During the war she had to suspend her medical practice due to Mussolini’s ban on Jews having a professional career.

Nevertheless, she still conducted research in a home-made lab studying nerve fibers in chicken embryos, which would help her later research.

After the war Viktor Hamburger offered her a research associate position at Washington University at St Louis. She would work there for 30 years. In 1952 Levi Montalcini and Hamburger discovered and isolated nerve growth factor (NGF) for the first time.

NGF is a neurotrophic factor and neuropeptide primarily involved in the regulation of growth, maintenance, proliferation, and survival of certain target neurons. It is involved in many biological processes.

In 1986 she and Hamburger won the Nobel Prize for their work on NGF. She was 77 when she received the award.

She moved up in various research roles until she ‘retired' when she won the Nobel Prize. After her retirement, the Italian National Council of Research in Rome appointed her to be the Director of the Institute of Cell Biology.

Not exactly the ‘retirement’ most people think about. 77 seems like a late retirement age to begin with.

Although she retired officially from that National Council position after 2 years, she still stayed on as a guest professor.

In the 1990s she was one of the first scientists to point out the importance of the mast cell in human pathology. She was in her 80’s.

As if that wasn’t enough, in 2002 she founded the European Brain Research Institute and served as its President.

Let me remind you she was born in 1909. That made her 93 in 2002.

In August, 2001, Levi-Montalcini received an appointment to be ‘Senator for Life’ from the President of Italy. In 2006 (age 97) she participated in the opening assembly of the newly elected Senate.

She continued to conduct scientific research until her death in 2012 at the age of 103. In total she had 171 scientific publications and other scientists cited her over 19,000 times.

Pretty impressive. How was she able to stay so sharp for so long?

She woke at 5am every morning and dove into her scientific research. I really believe having a passion and following it helps keep your mind sharp.

Especially if your passion requires complex thoughts. Working out your brain. With a passion, you never stop learning. Learning is like going to the gym but for your mind.

She also typically ate only once a day. Although we feed our residents three meals a day, we still try to eat in a time-restrictive window. There’s a lot of research showing fasting helps metabolic and mental health.

Going through hard times as a Jew in World War II Italy also fueled her passion. She used those hard times to find workarounds such as setting up a research lab in her bedroom. Overcoming challenges further works out your brain.

And finally she helped others. She wanted to improve everyone’s health. Loving your neighbors may have health benefits beyond spiritual compliance.

Rita Levi-Montalcini is a great example for us all to follow. Besides being a wonderful role model, she gives us a roadmap for a long and prosperous life.