2024-05-182024-05-18https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/715071Research interest on how the human mind works has a long history, but the relation between mind and brain has remained an attractive but unresolved issue. Modern advances in neuroscience and cognitive science have since the end of the last century broadened and deepened – from genes, molecules, nerve cells, brain systems, explicit behavior, even to implicit mental processes – our understanding on how information is represented and processed in human brain. For instance, new technologies detecting human brain activities make it possible for brain and mind researchers to investigate human cognition as well as emotion and volition, exploring topics on high-level brain functions such as personality, belief, esthetics, morality, self, and consciousness. Studies devoted along the line have thus enhanced our knowledge of how human mind works under normal and ill-functioning states, so as to develop new measures for detecting, diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. As described by Nobel laureate James Watson in 1992, “The brain is the last and grandest biological frontier, the most complex thing we have yet discovered in our universe”. Also as mentioned by another Nobel laureate Eric Kandel in 2004, “The biology of the mind will be as important scientifically to the 21st century as the biology of the gene was for the 20th century”. In 2009, Professor Kandel further addressed that “Understanding the biology of mental illness would be a paradigm shift in our thinking about mind……. it would also tell us more about who we are and how we function”. Furthermore, United States former president Barack Obama said in the Brain Initiative in 2013, “As humans, we can identify galaxies light-years away. We can study particles smaller than an atom. But we still haven't unlocked the mystery of the three pounds of matter that sits between our ears”. Indeed, we are at a critical moment in studying brain and mind functions. The Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center (NCSC) of National Taiwan University (NTU) was founded in October, 2005. Our center aims to bring together devoted NTU scholars for cutting-edge research and education on neuroscience and cognitive science, in hope to shed light on this very “last frontier for human being”. Members of NCSC come from various backgrounds, and are affiliated with different departments of NTU as well as with the NTU Hospital. Areas of specialization of these members range from basic neuroscience (e.g., anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, molecular and cellular biology), clinical neuroscience (e.g., psychiatry, neurology, anesthesia, rehabilitation, etc.), cognitive science (e.g., philosophy, psychology, linguistics, anthropology, management, economics, sociology, law, literature and arts), and engineering and information science. This center is not only a multidisciplinary research center at the university level but also a home base for all neurosciences at NTU. Moreover, this center has also offered “Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Credit-Hour Program” since 2006. This program has coordinated to streamline more than 100 neuroscience and cognitive science-related courses on campus and to better prepare NTU undergraduate students to become future scholars devoted to brain and mind research. Thus, it is hoped that NCSC-initiated research and NCSC-sponsored academic events can be instrumental for NTU to bind together various lines of research, basic or applied, on brain and mind. Through sharing ideas and substantial collaboration, scholars involved can start bona-fide conversations across disciplines so as to create a new horizon in the brain and mind science in Taiwan. NCSC believes this new interdisciplinary effort can gain vitality as it is nourished by our unique social and cultural contexts. It is also hoped that NCSC will provide a rare opportunity for brain-and-mind related research can build our own unique path by going beyond the western footsteps, enabling NTU to enjoy its leading position of academic excellence, in theory and in practice. Accordingly, the missions of this center includes: To promote and integrate NTU research in neurobiology and cognitive science. To sponsor the Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Credit-Hour Program and special courses for the promotion of undergraduate training at NTU. To coordinate and facilitate academic exchanges and collaborations for national and international scholars in neurobiology and cognitive science. To organize and support national or international symposium on neurobiology and cognitive science.關於人類心智與腦功能的研究有悠久長遠的歷史，仍有許多有趣但尚未解決的重要研究議題。神經科學（Neuroscience）與認知科學（Cognitive Science）為二十世紀後三十年開始蓬勃發展的兩個新興學門。神經科學從多方向整合性的了解腦功能，結合了早先分散在生化、細胞、系統功能、行為、心理、人工智慧等等領域中有關神經細胞與神經系統的研究，再加上臨床神經醫學的研究，形成一門跨領域的新學門。認知科學旨在研究人類的認知與心智功能，它濫觴於1970年代，成形於1980、90年代，時至今日，更方興未艾，已蔚然成為一個極為重要的研究領域。諾貝爾獎得主James Watson 在1992年時提到「The brain is the last and grandest biological frontier, the most complex thing we have yet discovered in our universe」。這樣的觀點與另一位諾貝爾獎得主 Eric Kandel 不謀而合，他在2004年哥倫比亞大學250週年校慶的公開演講中提到：「The biology of the mind will be as important scientifically to the 21st century as the biology of the gene was for the 20th century」。他在2009年也進一步提到：「Understanding the biology of mental illness would be a paradigm shift in our thinking about mind……. it would also tell us more about who we are and how we function.」。也如同美國前總統 Barack Obama 在2013年提到：「As humans we can identify galaxies light years away, we can study particles smaller than an atom, but we still haven’t unlocked the mystery of the three pounds of matter between our ears. 」。我們正處於一個探討心智功能的關鍵時代，也正位在瞭解心智運作與精神疾病典範轉移的重要年代。 國立台灣大學成立「神經生物與認知科學研究中心（簡稱神認中心）」的主旨，是透過國內外與本校跨院系的跨領域合作，結合各領域的相關專業知識與人才，形成一個教學與研究並重的跨領域研發團隊，以促進並整合本校神經與認知科學的研究與發展，同時達成研究人才的訓練與培育，期盼能追求卓越並與世界頂尖研究中心並駕齊驅。本校在神經科學的研究已有長久優良的歷史，1960年代藥理學科李鎮源與張傳炯兩位院士發現alpha－bungarotoxin，是國際上研究神經訊息傳遞的重要里程碑。時至今日台大醫學院及校總區有多達一百多位教師及醫師正在進行神經科學相關的研究與教學工作，有關神經與認知科學的課程也有七、八十餘門。台大陳維昭前校長在2004年11月25日「台灣大學全面發展神經科學座談會」上也曾揭示，台大有最適合推動神經科學的人才及環境。其次，本校擁有與神經與認知科學相輔相成的諸多相關系所與領域，如分子生物學、心靈哲學、心理學、語言學、認知人類學、資訊科學、生醫電機與精神科學等學科。神認中心的成立提供這些科系進行跨領域的合作與整合，共同致力於神經科學與認知科學的研發與創新。第三，本校擁有許多相關的研究人才、設備、技術與方法，可以在哲學、行為、功能、程式、生理與神經、分子與基因等層次上進行研究，彼此分工合作與互補，展開全面而系統性的研究，進而在理論與實用上有所突破。因此國立台灣大學於 2005年10月8日正式掛牌成立「台灣大學神經生物與認知科學研究中心」，整合本校神經生物與認知科學相關研究，並開設神經生物與認知科學學分學程。 中心的主要任務有以下四點： 推動與整合本校神經生物與認知科學相關之研究工作，提昇神經生物與認知科學水準。 負責本校神經生物與認知科學學分學程及相關課程等教學事宜。 協調與促進神經生物與認知科學相關領域國內外學者專家的交流與合作。 籌組與支持國內外神經生物與認知科學相關研討會。