He demonstrated that learning causes physical and chemical changes in the strength of connections (synapses) between nerve cells .
To study memory at a cellular level, Kandel famously utilized the giant sea slug ( Aplysia californica ), which has large, easily identifiable neurons .
Kandel’s work, which earned him the , revolutionized our understanding of how neurons communicate:
He offers a poignant critique of Austria’s historical failure to confront its role in the Holocaust compared to Germany’s "soul searching" . Reader Resources
Kandel recounts his early years in Vienna, where his family faced persecution following the 1938 Nazi annexation . This trauma fueled his lifelong fascination with memory and human behavior, leading him from a background in history and psychoanalysis to a career in neurobiology .
He details the convergence of four distinct disciplines— behaviorist psychology , cognitive psychology , neuroscience , and molecular biology —into a unified science capable of exploring the mind in biological terms . Key Scientific Concepts
Get quick and easy access to free practice questions for the 2026 TOEFL®
Get quick and easy access to a free practice test for the 2026 TOEFL®
Get quick and easy access to free practice questions for the 2026 TOEFL®
