1. History
The enduring legacy of pioneering neuroscientist Dr. Jerzy Edwin Rose
Jordan T. Gaal, Matthew Stenerson, John S. Kuo ⇑
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue, K4/8 CSC, Box 8660, Madison, WI 53792, United States
a r t i c l e i n f o
Article history:
Received 19 February 2016
Accepted 28 February 2016
Available online xxxx
Keywords:
Brain mapping
Electrophysiology
History
Jerzy Rose
Neuroanatomy
University of Wisconsin
a b s t r a c t
The human nervous system maintains dominion over everything experienced in life, consolidating a
constant barrage of stimuli and chemical fluctuation into memory, sense, emotion, and even character.
Despite decades of productive investigation, comprehension of the nervous system’s function and
structure remain shrouded in mystery. Historically, the burden of elucidating these mysteries has fallen
to neuroscientists bold enough to seek answers to this most nebulous vista. The legacy of one such
neuroscientist, Jerzy Edwin Rose, endures today as a pillar of neuroscientific discovery. In the nascence
of his career, Rose explored volumetric comparisons of human brain structure to that of other mammals,
leading to the development of novel methods in neurophysiologic measurement and explanation. Rose
would later segue mid-career into studies on the cooperation between the auditory cortex and thalamus,
resulting in increased understanding of its functioning, structure, and anatomy. During the final saga of
his long, fruitful career, Rose explored the electrophysiology of the auditory system, leading to novel
methods using modern technology. Ultimately, the vast breadth of Rose’s contributions to neuroscience
has diminished the field’s mystery, setting forth momentous groundwork for future discovery, and the
inspiration to carry on in the spirit of his bold curiosity.
Ó 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
For decades, neuroscientists have observed the behaviors of the
brain to determine its function and anatomy. A select number of
neuroscientists, such as Dr. Oskar Vogt and his wife Cecile,
searched for a correlation between the anatomy and the psychol-
ogy of the brain in the 1920’s [1]. Others, such as Cornelius Ubbo
Ariëns Kappers labored to discover the simple anatomy of the brain
around the same era. In the present day, Dr. Yin’s work with cats
reveals the functioning of the brain by tracking the eye movement
of the animals [2]. Much of the work Dr. Tom Yin does at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison would not be possible without
the advancements and contributions of Dr. Jerzy Edwin Rose [3].
Jerzy Edwin Rose (Fig. 1) was born on March 5, 1909 in what is
currently Poland. Rose grew up Polish in both nationality and name
and the environment he was raised in was both intellectually
stimulating and challenging. Rose’s father was a teacher of
literature, Latin, and Polish. While Rose never developed a strong
interest in either literature or language, his father instilled in him
the essential work ethic that contributed to the success Dr. Rose
saw throughout his life. Outstanding scholarship was a resounding
theme in the childhood home of Jerzy. Early in his life, Rose
completed his medical training in Cracow, Poland. His uncle, Dr.
Maximilian Rose was a famous neuroscientist and the director of
the Brain Research Institute in Vilno, Poland. It was there, and
under the direction of his uncle, that Rose received his postgradu-
ate degrees in psychiatry and neuroanatomy. His uncle suggested
training at Wilhelm Institut für Hirnforschung in Berlin, Germany
(Fig. 2) under Oskar Vogt. In Germany, Rose met his wife Annelies
Argelander, who was a Professor of Psychology [4].
His studies in Europe were cut short, however. While at sea
with his wife in 1939, Germany invaded Poland. With a quickly
drafted letter of recommendation from Professor Ariens Kappers,
who Rose worked with in Poland, he was granted employment in
the Phipps Psychiatric Clinic at Johns Hopkins University. At Hop-
kins, Rose was finally able to continue his European studies. It was
during his time at Johns Hopkins that Rose began collaboration
with Dr. Clinton Woolsey and a lifelong partnership was formed
[5]. From this partnership would come a number of influential
works. After the onset of World War II, Rose spent a brief time as
a psychiatrist in the Army and eventually returned to Johns
Hopkins [6]. In 1959, Rose made the decision to leave Johns
Hopkins and follow Woolsey to the University of Wisconsin-
Madison where he was appointed Professor of Neurophysiology
[7]. Wisconsin served as a birthing ground for Rose’s passion in
auditory neurophysiology. It was there that Rose continued his
research for the rest of his life.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2016.02.035
0967-5868/Ó 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 6082611877; fax: +1 6082631728.
E-mail address: j.kuo@neurosurgery.wisc.edu (J.S. Kuo).
Journal of Clinical Neuroscience xxx (2016) xxx–xxx
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Clinical Neuroscience
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2. 2. Early European brain illustrations and mapping
Rose first studied the physical structure of the brain while in
Vilno by examining stained structures of various mammalian
brains. These often extremely thin brain sections were embedded
into paraffin material and colored violet for easier viewing. Rose
determined the volume of the nuclei by projecting the outlines of
the nuclei on cardboard and drawing them out. In this method,
he corresponded the thickness of the cardboard with the degree
of magnification of the projector. Now, having a cardboard object
proportional to the volume of the actual brain sample by degree
of magnification, Rose was able to measure the volume by dis-
placement in water. This volume was used to calculate the volume
of the nuclei [8]. By the measurements Rose gathered through this
data by methods adapted from his uncle, Maximilian, Rose was
able to create accurate maps of certain mammalian brain sections.
Studying the volume of brain sections and the structure of
mammalian brains, Rose concluded in his paper ‘‘The Cell Structure
of the Mammillary Body in the Mammals and in Man” that three
groups of nuclei can be distinguished in well-developed mam-
malian brains. These groups were given the names medial, lateral,
and dorsal because of their locations in the brain. Rose also found
that certain groups reduced in volume as the mammal became lar-
ger. The dorsal nuclei group specifically was found to undergo a
reduction in higher mammals. From this Rose was able to conclude
that humans also undergo a reduction in the dorsal nuclei group
[8]. In the words of Rose [8], he concluded in his summary, ‘‘The
dorsal nuclear group, very well developed in lower mammals,
undergoes a reduction in man and probably in the other higher
mammals as well. . .” This historical research set a foundation for
the brain mapping that exists today. The work Rose completed
for this paper and many others similar to it began in Vilno while
studying under his uncle and was continued and completed once
Rose relocated to Johns Hopkins. While mapping the brain, Rose
developed an interest with certain functions and relations in the
brain, specifically the thalamus and cortex.
3. Thalamus and auditory cortex relation
As Dr. Rose’s career developed, his scientific interests did as
well. While in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins Rose became invested
in research of the thalamus region. In 1950, Rose [9] published a
detailed work entitled ‘‘Some Modern Aspects of the Functional
Anatomy of the Thalamus.” In this paper, Rose highlighted the
work of previous researchers who studied the thalamus. To supple-
ment previous research, Rose included methods that had been
developed for further study of the thalamus. A select few of these
methods stemmed from the blossoming field of electrophysiology
which would later become the focus of Rose’s career.
Only a year before the article that was previously discussed,
Rose worked with his colleague, Clinton Woolsey, on the relation-
ship between the thalamus and the auditory cortex. According to
Fig. 1. Jerzy Rose later in his career [15].
Fig. 2. Wilhelm Institut für Hirnforschung in Berlin, Germany, 1913. Note: Photo ansichtskarten-pankow.de/buch.
2 J.T. Gaal et al. / Journal of Clinical Neuroscience xxx (2016) xxx–xxx
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3. Kandel et al. [10] the thalamus receives sensory signals from all
processes except for smell. Sensory perceptions are then directed
to the cortex and interpreted. This fundamental function of the
thalamus and auditory cortex relation that is known today
emerged partly due to the research of Rose. The thalamus also
plays a secondary role in voluntary body movement and coordina-
tion. Rose and Woolsey used mammalian models to study the tha-
lamus of the brain and related the results to the human brain. Their
research led to the discovery of three individual sections of the tha-
lamus. Each section relates differently to the auditory cortex in
terms of dependence and signaling. Rose and Woolsey found that
the epithalamus was entirely independent of the cortex. Today
the epithalamus is considered the region of the brain that includes
the Habenular nucleus and the Pineal body. The dorsal thalamus
was found to be completely dependent on the auditory cortex.
Rose and Woolsey discovered the ventral thalamus, modernly
named the prethalamus [10], to be similar to the epithalamus in
terms of its independence of the auditory cortex [11]. Rose’s dis-
coveries molded the research that would emerge in the field of
neuroscience related to the thalamus. The understanding of how
the thalamus relays information to the auditory cortex is largely
due to the contributions of Dr. Jerzy Rose and his colleagues.
In 1954, Rose, along with colleague Dr. Vernon B. Mountcastle,
astounded the scientific realm with what is considered a landmark
paper in thalamic functioning. Rose and Mountcastle made the
groundbreaking discovery that the thalamus directly responds to
external peripheral stimulus. This was revealed by means of
stimulating cats and measuring what they termed ‘‘spikes” in the
thalamic region [12]. This unearthing steered neuroscience
towards its modern course. Rose’s work with the thalamus and
its relationship to the auditory cortex, as well as his work with tha-
lamic stimuli served as a stepping stone into the saga of his life that
would be electrophysiology.
4. Electrophysiology of the auditory system
Rose first dabbled in electrophysiology while at Johns Hopkins.
The interest began when Rose found he could successfully use
microelectrodes to stimulate single neurons. This could be used
to better determine functions of certain areas of the brain. In his
current model however, Rose found the electric resistance to be
too high. Out of frustration, Rose turned to a colleague, a Johns
Hopkins physical chemist, Robert Dowben, and he inquired about
the impedance predicament. Dowben offered the idea of using
indium as a conductor and covering the tip with gold and
platinum. From this information, Rose developed the first low
resistance microelectrode [4]. He used this in his monumental
work with Mountcastle in 1954.
While on a sabbatical leave in Chile, Rose learned the diction
and language of Andean highlands Indians. Immersing himself in
this incredibly difficult language inspired Rose to use his newfound
electrophysiological methods to study the responsiveness of the
auditory system. This study was again completed using felines as
a model. In 1957, Rose, Adrian, and Santibanez [13] released their
results in the paper ‘‘Electrical Signs of Maturation in the Auditory
System of the Kitten.” In the midst of electrophysiological research
the journey to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1959 did
nothing but spur the drive of Rose. Like many brilliant scientists
today, Jerzy recognized the importance of technology in the labo-
ratory. He began to utilize advancements in computers that
enabled him to not only measure spikes from neuron discharges,
but the cortical reaction to different tones. This led Rose to produce
milestone research regarding the auditory system.
Prior to Rose’s relocation to Wisconsin, he lost his wife Annelies
Argelander. However, while at Wisconsin, Rose met Hanna
Sobkowicz. He found Hanna, or Hanka, to be his female counter-
part scientist. They correlated in both academic interests as well
as Polish roots and culture. Their shared interests led Hanna to gift
Rose with cell culture of the organ of Corti. The organ of Corti is the
receptor in the brain near the inner ear responsible for hearing
[10]. Unbeknownst to Rose at the time, this gift would inspire
the last decades of his research of the auditory system and of his
life. Rose had long been discontented with the current means of
explaining the function of the inner ear, and his newly gifted cul-
ture inspired him to reform current recognized theories. According
to Kruger [4], Rose spent days and nights fastened to the electron
microscope searching for a new electrical relay to re-explain the
function of the inner ear. His colleague in the lab, Grayson Scott,
often competed with Rose for new intuitions. In 1990, Rose con-
tributed to his final published work with Emmerling, his wife
Sobkowicz, Levenick, Scott, and Slapnick [14]. Rose’s final contribu-
tions to the knowledge of the electrophysiology of the inner ear
tidily concluded six decades of research. A plethora of noteworthy
discoveries formed Rose into a prominent figure in his field.
5. Conclusion
Rose brought more to the table than just immense research and
findings. He approached his work with a sense of confidence and
connected with colleagues and peers in a way no scientist was able
to accomplish before. Jerzy’s style of writing and communicating
his discoveries held a certain aurora about itself. His word choice
and diction in his papers captivated other researchers and inspired
fellow scientists. He truly was a master of neurology. The many
awards and recognition Rose received throughout his career only
solidify research he undertook and achieved. The ‘‘Jerzy Rose
Award Fund” exemplifies the contributions of Rose and continues
his legacy [15].
Rose’s long and successful career saw many awards and honors.
In 1972, Rose was elected to the prestigious National Academy of
Sciences. Only a select number of Wisconsin professors ever saw
this appointment. He was also a member of the American Neurolog-
ical Association, the American Association of Anatomists, and the
American Physiological Society. In 1973, Rose received an award
from the Beltone Institute and later, 1987, he was granted another
award by the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. During
the year 1982, Rose [16] received the Ralph W. Gerald Prize in
Neuroscience from the Society for Neuroscience. He was honored
by the International Conference on Anatomy of the Central Nervous
System at Florida State University in 1980. When Jerzy was
appointed as Emeritus Professor of Neurophysiology at the
University of Wisconsin, he was commemorated by a special issue
of the Journal of Comparative Neurology. Rose had served as a
long-time member of the editorial board of this publication [4].
Rose’s findings set a groundwork for years of investigation to
follow. His early career mapping and measuring certain areas of
the brain created a foundation for the diagrams used today. The
fundamental understandings of the thalamus as it relates to signal-
ing the auditory cortex are based off of the conclusions of Jerzy
Rose. The final chapter of Rose’s research in the electrophysiology
of the auditory system fashioned the current models used in audi-
tory science. He pioneered a new age of successful microelectrode
research. Unlike many researchers, Rose embraced technology and
new advancements. Nevertheless, he questioned his findings and
confirmed them with an inquisitive nature. Rose revealed the func-
tions of the inner through advanced cell culture methods that are
still used today.
There is no question that Dr. Jerzy Edwin Rose swept his field
with a sense of vigor and purpose and opened the door to addi-
tional scientific verdicts. The amount of historical neuroscientists
J.T. Gaal et al. / Journal of Clinical Neuroscience xxx (2016) xxx–xxx 3
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4. that have yet to be researched in depth are still numerous. The
decades in which Rose thrived proved to be an awakening in
neuroscience and the dawn of a new era in research. Rose passed
away in 1992, but his wife, Dr. Hanna M. Sobkowicz Rose, still
continues to impact the field of neurology. She currently serves
as Emeritus Professor in the Department of Neurology at the
University of Wisconsin. Rose is also survived by his niece, Marisha
Rowse, and her family. The advancements made through the
research of Dr. Rose are remarkable both in discovery and number.
While the quantity of his publications may not compare to the vast
number contemporary researchers claim, Rose’s 52 works are care-
fully crafted with skillful language and revolutionary discoveries.
Conflicts of Interest/Disclosures
The authors declare that they have no financial or other con-
flicts of interest in relation to this research and its publication.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful and much appreciate constructive comments
on earlier drafts from Will Lyon, Paul Clark and Kelli Pointer.
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4 J.T. Gaal et al. / Journal of Clinical Neuroscience xxx (2016) xxx–xxx
Please cite this article in press as: Gaal JT et al. The enduring legacy of pioneering neuroscientist Dr. Jerzy Edwin Rose. J Clin Neurosci (2016), http://dx.doi.
org/10.1016/j.jocn.2016.02.035 Downloaded from ClinicalKey.com at Ebling Library - University of Wisconsin System August 18, 2016.
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