Nancy Coover Andreasen facts for kids

Nancy Coover Andreasen (born November 11, 1938) is an American neuroscientist and neuropsychiatrist. She studies the brain and how it affects our thoughts and feelings. She is a professor at the University of Iowa.

Early Life and Studies

Nancy Coover Andreasen was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. She went to the University of Nebraska. There, she studied English, History, and Philosophy. She later earned a Ph.D. in English literature. A Ph.D. is a very high university degree.

For five years, she was a professor at the University of Iowa. She taught about Renaissance Literature. This is literature from a time in European history when there was a lot of new art and ideas. She even wrote a book about a writer named John Donne.

Becoming a Doctor and Scientist

After her first daughter was born, Nancy Andreasen became very ill. This experience made her want to learn more about medicine. So, she decided to change her career. She went to medical school at the University of Iowa. She became a doctor in 1970. Then, she finished her training in psychiatry in 1973. Psychiatry is the study and treatment of mental illnesses.

In 1974, she did an important study on creativity. She found a link between being very creative and having bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings.

Understanding Schizophrenia

Early in her career, Dr. Andreasen noticed something important. She saw that some symptoms of mental illness were more difficult for people than others. For example, in schizophrenia, people might have "positive symptoms." These are things that are added to normal brain function, like seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations). They might also have strong, false beliefs (delusions).

But Dr. Andreasen focused on "negative symptoms." These are when normal brain functions are lost. For example:

• Alogia: Trouble thinking or speaking clearly.
• Blunted affect: Difficulty showing emotions.
• Avolition: Losing the ability to start activities.
• Anhedonia: Not being able to feel pleasure.

She realized that these negative symptoms could make life much harder for people. Her work helped doctors better understand and treat schizophrenia. She also helped create important guides for diagnosing mental illnesses, like the DSM-IV.

Brain Imaging Research

Dr. Andreasen was a pioneer in using special brain scans. These scans, called MRI, help doctors see inside the brain. She was one of the first to use MRI to study brain differences in people with major mental illnesses. She published the first study showing brain changes in people with schizophrenia using MRI.

She became the director of a research center at the University of Iowa. Her team uses advanced computer programs, called BRAINS, to analyze brain images. This helps them learn more about how the brain works. It also helps them understand how mental illnesses affect the brain.

In the 2000s, she also went back to studying the science behind creativity.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Andreasen has received many important awards for her work.

In 2000, the President of the United States gave her the National Medal of Science. This is America's highest award for scientific achievement. She received it for her work in understanding the brain and mental illnesses. She helped connect how our minds, brains, and behaviors work together. She also used new brain imaging tools to study memory, creativity, and illnesses like schizophrenia.

She has also received awards from the Belgian Academy of Science and the American Psychiatric Association. She was chosen to be a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine. For 13 years, she was the main editor of the American Journal of Psychiatry, a very important medical journal.

Personal Life

Nancy Coover Andreasen is a mother of two daughters. Her daughter Robin Andreasen is a professor who studies how we think and learn. Nancy Andreasen is married to Captain Terry Gwinn. He was a military officer who served in the Vietnam War.