Antonio Damasio Prince of Asturias Award for Technical & Scientific Research 2005

At its meeting in Oviedo, the Jury for the 2005 Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research, made up of D. José Luis Álvarez Margaride, D. Juan Luis Arsuaga, D. José Baselga, D. Antonio Fernández-Rañada, D. Luis Fernández-Vega Sanz, D. Santiago Grisolía, D.ª María del Carmen Maroto Vela, D.ª María Teresa Miras, D. Francisco Mora, D. Enrique Moreno, D. Rafael Nájera Morrondo, D. César Nombela Cano, D. Fernando Ortiz Maslloréns, D.ª Ana Pastor, D. Miguel Ángel Pesquera, D. Rafael Puyol, D. Fernando Reinoso, D. Rafael Sariego García, D. Guillermo Suárez Fernández, chaired by D. Julio Rodríguez Villanueva and with D. José Antonio Martínez-Álvarez as secretary has unanimously agreed to confer the 2005 Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research on Portugal´s Antonio Damasio, currently professor of neurology in the United States.

Antonio Damasio is acknowledged worldwide as a major scientist whose contribution is essential to our knowledge of the mechanisms that control the workings of the brain.

His studies have revealed which areas of the brain have a decisive influence on human conduct, particularly the processes of emotion and the development of feelings, as well as providing a greater understanding of the cerebral bases of language and memory.

His achievements in Science are also contributing to the fight against diseases such as Parkinson´s and Alzheimer´s that are of such concern to Mankind because of their gravity and prevalence.

The Jury would also like to highlight Professor Damásio´s important work for a wider public, which enables many different strata of society to better understand human conduct.

For all these reasons, his work enjoys extraordinary prestige in the international scientific world.

Oviedo, 22nd June 2005