Page 16 - ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN AND NEURAL SCIENCES

Creativity, optimism, resilience, neuroprotection, and other ‘positive’ cognitive and physiological phenomena lie at the core of our ability to fourish as sophisticated human beings regardless of, or even despite, our circumstances. Evolutionary biologists point to positive afective capacities such as altruism, courage, and cooperation as sparking a kind of collaborative synergy between people that has promoted humanity’s perserverance on Earth.
4 CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON POSITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
How can we apply the tools of neuroscience to understand well-being, intelligence, and other positive psychological concepts that help improve our ability to cope with and enrich our lives?
•T his center will launch investigations in the emerging feld of positive neuroscience through
empirical research on optimal or exceptional brain functioning. This includes our resilience to the stresses of modern life and individual diferences in how we overcoming injuries and age-related defcits, and the most outstanding examples of human intelligence and social collaboration. Researchers will employ a variety
of neuroimaging, molecular, and genomics techniques, as well as advanced behavioral modeling, toward an overarching goal of ensuring the vibrant functioning of the human brain.
16