Neuroscience in Genoa

In 1593 in Genoa, the Magistrate, of hospitals for the incurable, decided to allocate two beds for alienated. In 1627, the number of beds increased reaching the number of 50. In 17th century in Genoa the alienated were considered patients and admitted in a small ward. In 1841, was inaugurated a mental institution with the application of rational criteria for the admission of patients affected by neuro-psychiatric diseases. The separation between Psychiatry and Neurology was established by neuro-psychiatrist Enrico Morselli (1852- 1929). He contributed to the foundation of the Italian Society of Neurology in 1907 and he was one of the first Presidents from 1909 to 1911. He promoted the building of the Neurology Clinic that was inaugurated in 1933 by Ugo Cerletti (1877-1963) that was appointed chair of the clinic. He is famous for the invention of the electroshock. He began his experiment in electricity and created different activities of research. When Cerletti moved to Rome Lionello De Lisi (1885-1957) succeeded as head of the Neurology department. He was a multifaceted man with interest in neurology and art. He gave important contributions on aphasia, Wilson’s disease and progressive muscular atrophy. In 1949, he founded the journal “Sistema Nervoso” (“Nervous System”), that ceased the publication in 1970. After the death of De Lisi became head of the clinic Cornelio Fazio (1910-1997), that permitted the creation of the Neuroscience department, focusing on neurophysiology. Fazio moved to Rome and was appointed Chair of Neurology Carlo Walter Loeb (1921-2005) who promoted the study on dementia and vascular disease. He stimulated the study in neurophysiology describing the “alpha coma”. The story of Neuroscience in Genoa is part of a project promoted by Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) for the development and census of libraries, archives, and museums in Europe entitled European Brain Museum (EBM). The aim is to preserve European Neuroscience by making available to the wide public materials and archives online on European neuroscientists or important historical events.