FOREWORD 



Six years after the Laurentian symposium on 'Brain Mechanisms and 

 Consciousness', the Council for International Organizations of Medical 

 Sciences (C.I.O.M.S.) convened a meeting to explore the neurophysio- 

 logical basis of learning. The meeting was held in Montevideo, from 

 August 2nd to 8th, 1959, and was jointly sponsored by and organized with 

 the Science Co-operation Office of Unesco for Latin America. 



Dr A. Fessard was responsible for the scientific planning of the meeting 

 and shared with Dr Ralph Gerard the responsibility of presiding over it. 

 May they both find here an expression of the Council's gratitude for the 

 magnificent way in which they discharged their duties. 



Looking back over the years, it is impossible not to draw a parallel 

 between the meeting held in Canada and the one held in Uruguay. 



In each case, the meeting was co-ordinated with the International 

 Physiological Congress. Both were 'firsts': the first CIOMS symposium 

 in North America and the tirst in Latin America. And then, of course, a 

 number of scientists took part in both meetings. But here the parallel 

 must end. 



In Montevideo, we were able to cast our net wider and we were pleased 

 to welcome a number of distinguished investigators from Australia, 

 Brazil, Chile, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Uruguay, and the U.S.S.R., 

 who had not attended the meeting in Canada. An organizing committee 

 composed of Drs R. Arana, D. Bennati, C. Estable, and of Drs E. Garcia- 

 Austt and J. P. Segundo, who acted as joint secretaries, took charge ot all 

 technical arrangements and provided much appreciated entertainment for 

 all who took part in the meeting. Credit must go to this committee for 

 having created the right conditions for the development of an atmosphere 

 of understanding and friendliness. May this committee find here an 

 expression of the Council's gratitude. 



It is also a pleasant task to put on record the Council's indebtedness to 

 the various agencies which supported directly or indirectly the meeting, 

 and in particular to the European Office, A.R.D.C.-^ whose grant was 

 used to cover the travelling expenses of a number of participants. 



I am also pleased to thank Miss Henderson and Dr Christie, who 

 transcribed the discussion, and the secretarial staff, who worked very hard 

 to get everything ready in time. 



^ Contract No. AF61 (052)-207. 



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