Hess, Walter Rudolf

Hess, Walter Rudolf
born March 17, 1881, Frauenfeld, Switz.
died Aug. 12, 1973, Locarno

Swiss physiologist.

He worked at the University of Zürich (1917–51). His interests centred on the nerves that control automatic functions such as digestion and excretion and that also trigger the activities of a group of organs that respond to complex stimuli, such as stress. Using fine electrodes to stimulate or destroy specific areas of the brain in cats and dogs, Hess mapped the control centres for each function to such a degree that he could bring about the physical behaviour pattern of a cat confronted by a dog simply by stimulating the proper points on the cat's hypothalamus. He shared a 1949 Nobel Prize with Antonio Egas Moniz.

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▪ Swiss physiologist
born March 17, 1881, Frauenfeld, Switz.
died Aug. 12, 1973, Ascona
 Swiss physiologist, who received (with António Egas Moniz (Egas Moniz, António)) the 1949 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discovering the role played by certain parts of the brain in determining and coordinating the functions of internal organs.

      Originally an ophthalmologist (1906–12), Hess turned to the study of physiology at the University of Bonn and was appointed professor of physiology and later director of the Physiological Institute (1917–51) at the University of Zürich. He became interested in the study of the autonomic nervous system—those nerves originating at the base of the brain and extending throughout the spinal cord that control the automatic functions such as digestion and excretion. They also trigger the activities of a group of organs that respond to complex stimuli, such as stress.

      Using fine electrodes to stimulate or destroy specific areas of the brain in cats and dogs, Hess found that the seat of autonomous function lies at the base of the brain, in the medulla oblongata and the diencephalon (interbrain), particularly that part of the interbrain known as the hypothalamus. He mapped the control centres for each function to such a degree that he could induce the physical behaviour pattern of a cat confronted by a dog simply by stimulating the proper points on the animal's hypothalamus. Among Hess's books is The Biology of Mind (1964).

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Hess , Walter Rudolf — (1881–1973) Swiss neurophysiologist The son of a physics teacher from Frauenfel in Switzerland, Hess was educated at the universities of Lausanne, Bern, Berlin, Kiel, and Zurich where he obtained his MD in 1906. Although he actually began as an… …   Scientists

  • Hess, Walter Rudolf — (17 mar. 1881, Frauenfeld, Suiza–12 ago. 1973, Locarno). Fisiólogo suizo. Trabajó en la Universidad de Zürich (1917–51). Su interés se centró en los nervios que controlan las funciones automáticas, como la digestión y la excreción, y que asimismo …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Walter Rudolf Hess — (* 17. März 1881 in Frauenfeld, Schweiz; † 12. August 1973 in Muralto, heute zu Locarno, Schweiz) war ein Schweizer Physiologe. 1949 erhielten er und António Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas Moniz gemeinsam den Nobelpreis für Physiologie oder Medizin …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Walter Rudolf Hess — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Hess.  Ne doit pas être confondu avec Rudolf Hess. Walter Rudolf Hess (17 mars 1881 à Frauenfeld, Suisse 12 août 1973 à Muralto, Suisse) est un physiologiste …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Walter Rudolf Hess — Nacimiento 17 de marzo 1881  Suiza …   Wikipedia Español

  • Walter Rudolf Hess — Infobox Scientist name = Walter Rudolf Hess imagesize = 160px birth date = March 17, 1881 birth place = Frauenfeld, Switzerland death date = August 12, 1973 death place = Locarno Switzerland nationality = Switzerland field = Physiology work… …   Wikipedia

  • Walter Rudolf Hess — noun Swiss physiologist noted for studies of the brain (1881 1973) • Syn: ↑Hess, ↑Walter Hess • Instance Hypernyms: ↑physiologist …   Useful english dictionary

  • Hess, (Walter Richard)Rudolf — Hess (hĕs), (Walter Richard) Rudolf. 1894 1987. German Nazi leader. When Hitler became chancellor (1933), he named Hess as deputy führer and later (1939) as second in succession to the Nazi leadership. In May 1941 Hess was captured in Scotland,… …   Universalium

  • Walter R. Hess — Walter Rudolf Hess (* 17. März 1881 in Frauenfeld, Schweiz; † 12. August 1973 in Muralto heute zu Locarno, Schweiz) war ein Schweizer Physiologe. 1949 erhielten er und António Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas Moniz gemeinsam den Nobelpreis für… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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