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James Olds (born May 30, 1922 – died August 21, 1976) was an important American psychologist. He is famous for discovering the brain's "pleasure center" with Peter Milner in 1954. This big discovery happened when he was studying at McGill University. Many people see him as one of the founders of modern neuroscience. He received many awards for his work.

About James Olds

His Early Life and Schooling

James Olds was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a town called Nyack, New York. His father, Leland Olds, later became a leader in the government. His grandfather, George D. Olds, was once the president of Amherst College.

James Olds went to several colleges. He studied at St. John's College and the University of Wisconsin. He earned his first degree from Amherst College in 1947. His college studies were paused for a while. This was because he served in the U.S. Army during Second World War. After the war, Olds went to Harvard University. He earned his Ph.D. there. His studies focused on why people are motivated to do things. This led him to research how the brain controls motivation.

His Amazing Career and Discoveries

After getting his Ph.D., Olds went to McGill University. There, he worked with Donald Olding Hebb. This is where he made his most important discovery with Peter Milner. They found the brain's "pleasure center."

Later, Olds moved to UCLA. He started his first teaching job there. In 1957, Olds became a professor at the University of Michigan. He left Michigan in 1969. He then became a special professor at the California Institute of Technology. He continued his research there. He led a large laboratory until he passed away in 1976. His last work was about understanding how we learn and remember things.

See also

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